MWCC, vocational schools granted $1.6M to partner with businesses on skills training

Photo/Grant Welker Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner

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By Timothy Doyle

Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner, along with three Central Massachusetts vocational schools and the nonprofit Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership in Auburn, received $1.57 million in funding for workforce development programs which partner with local businesses.

The grants came from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, the Workforce Skills Cabinet, and Commonwealth Corporation.

“This final grant announcement for 2022 shows the continued commitment that we all have to training and development programs that create a more equitable workforce while helping employers across the commonwealth,” Rosalin Acosta, the former Labor and Workforce Development Secretary, who left her role on January 5, said in the Jan. 4 press release announcing the grants.

MWCC received a $300,000 RENEW grant from the Workforce Skills Cabinet, which supports education and training models that retrain unemployed individuals who are then hired by employers, according to the press release from the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

The grant will provide training to 30 participants for advanced manufacturing/production technician positions. MWCC will partner with Insulet Corp. of Acton. And Middlesex Community College in Bedford.

The Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School District in Charlton received a $579,710 Career Technical Initiative grant. It will provide training to 90 participants for advanced manufacturing, culinary, and HVAC positions. The school will partner with A&M Tool & Design in Southbridge, All Points HVAC in Auburn, Angry Panda Food Co. in Holland, ckSmithSuperior in Worcester, Dexter Russell in Southbridge, FLEXcon in Spencer, General Mechanical Contractors, Inc. in Auburn, Great Oak Pizza in Southbridge, Pine Ridge Country Club in Oxford, and Primetals Technologies in Sutton.

Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School in Franklin received $360,000. It will provide training to 60 participants for manufacturing, automotive service technician, and culinary positions. Tri-County will partner with Vendetti Motors, Inc. in Franklin, Tegra Medical LLC in Franklin, and Leonardi Culinary Management Concepts in Brookline.

Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical School in Marlborough received a $300,000 Career Technical Initiative grant. It will provide training to 50 participants for HVAC, plumbing, welding positions. Assabet will partner with Phillips Precision, Inc. of Boylston, Lincoln Tool and Machine Corp. of Hudson, MAS Building & Bridge, Inc. of Norfolk, DECCO Inc. of Nashua, New Hampshire, North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, which is based in Boston, Henry Pacific Plumbing & Heating in Marlborough, KM Salsman Co. LLC of Rutland, Larkin Hathaway Inc. of Bridgewater, and Future Plumbing and Piping Inc. of Worcester.

MassMEP received a $29,612 SCALE grant, which is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, and administered by the WSC. It will use the money to build a sustainable training program for manufacturing jobs. MassMEP will partner with Catania Oils of Ayer.

“These investments continue building a human capital pipeline in critical, high-demand occupations,” former Secretary of Education James Peyser said in the press release. “Equally important, training programs are matched with real employer needs, so that graduates can move directly into the workforce.”

Statewide, the programs announced $3.6 million in grants.