GLOUCESTER — Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito visited the Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute (GMGI) today to announce $14.6 million in Skills Capital Grant awards to 54 educational institutions to update equipment and expand student enrollment in programs that provide career education. The Governor and Lt. Governor were joined by Education Secretary James Peyser, Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta and Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy to tour GMGI, one of four institutions that received a multi-year grant.
This is the first time that the Baker-Polito Administration has awarded multi-year Skills Capital Grants, and high schools, colleges and other educational institutions applying for this round of grants were able to apply for either one or two years of funding. Four institutions - Bristol Community College, Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute’s Biotechnology Academy, Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District and Worcester Technical High School - received two-year awards, which require a local matching funding contribution of $1 to every $3 of state resources.
“Skills Capital Grants help preserve the Commonwealth’s talent pipeline by funding expanded enrollment and equipment upgrades at educational institutions to provide more students with in-demand skills sought by employers,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The inaugural multi-year grants offered this round will also increase flexibility and support for institutions launching new programs, allowing more students to develop important technical skills.”
“The Massachusetts economy is firing on all cylinders, yet there remains a tight job market when it comes to skilled jobs, and Skills Capital Grants have enabled thousands of students across the Commonwealth to gain knowledge and skills in order to be competitive in the job market,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Through this funding, the Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute will double the number of students who can be trained for high-demand biotech careers.”
GMGI received $940,569 to establish a new biomanufacturing training facility, and its new teaching lab will expand its existing training program by doubling its enrollment capacity from 20 to 40 students. The new biomanufacturing center will include a laboratory and classroom with specialized equipment that will simulate the environments found in state-of-the-art biomanufacturing facilities.
“Throughout our economic development planning process last year, we heard repeatedly from business owners about job openings that remain unfilled due to the lack of skilled workers, and today’s Skills Capital Grants paired with the administration’s Career Tech Initiative will have a significant impact on the Commonwealth’s talent pipeline,” said Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Mike Kennealy. “It is exciting to make this announcement at the Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, where they are effectively weaving together a strategy that includes groundbreaking biotech research, education and workforce efforts which will continue to benefit this entire region.”
"Over a 10-year period, Massachusetts is expected to add around 600 biological technicians who will make an average of $61,000 per year. Programs like the Gloucester Biotechnology Academy, which align education and training offerings to specific workforce needs, are vital to ensuring the future economic health of Massachusetts," said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Rosalin Acosta.
“Several of these grants awarded in this round will support the expansion of after-school and evening vocational programs, aligned to the Governor’s new Career Technical Initiative in order to give more people opportunities for education and training in the trades,” said Secretary of Education James Peyser. “The Skills Capital Grants given to educational institutions over the last five years laid the groundwork for this new workforce initiative.”
“This award from the Baker-Polito Administration is a great endorsement of our workforce training program and what we’ve accomplished since Gloucester Biotechnology Academy was launched,” said John Doyle, Education Director of Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute. “The addition of biomanufacturing to our proprietary curriculum may add a month to our academic year, but it brings a whole new, in demand skill set to our future graduates.”
To date, the Baker-Polito Administration has awarded more than $78 million in Skills Capital Grants to 280 different programs. Through Skills Capital Grants, schools have expanded their enrollment capacity in high-demand occupations, enabling more than 14,500 additional students to enroll in educational programs that are a priority for employers across Massachusetts.
The Skills Capital Grants are awarded by Governor Baker’s Workforce Skills Cabinet, which was created in 2015 to bring together the Secretariats of Education, Labor and Workforce Development, and Housing and Economic Development to align education, economic development and workforce policies in order to strategize around how to meet employers’ demand for skilled workers in every region of the Commonwealth.
The competitive grants are awarded to educational institutions that demonstrate partnerships with local businesses, as well as align curriculum and credentials with industry demand to maximize hiring opportunities in each region of the state. The 2018 Economic Development Bill, filed by the Governor and passed by the Legislature, established an additional $75 million in Skills Capital Grant funding.
The following schools and educational institutions received Skills Capital Grants in this round:
Barnstable High School, Barnstable - $60,000: Barnstable High will enhance its Food Service and Hospitality Center, enabling more students to take part in the program. Students gain practical skills in the culinary arts and hospitality industries, both in high demand in the Cape region. Students also learn about the tourism and retail industries, along with business, entrepreneurship, and marketing. With the grant, the school will open a food truck so students can experience what it is like to own and operate a business.
Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology – $190,011: Ben Franklin Institute will purchase equipment to enhance its Engineering Technology curricula with new robotics and automation tools. Training on the new equipment will enable BFIT's educational experience to more closely mirror the workplace environment of the high-priority industries of Greater Boston.
Berkshire Innovation Center - $200,000: The Berkshire Innovation Center will purchase additive manufacturing equipment to support the advanced manufacturing sector, identified as a critical industry in the region. Additive Manufacturing promises to revolutionize the production process. With the new equipment, Berkshire Innovation Center will develop introductory and college certificate levels which will build on pathways to associates and bachelor’s degrees. The goal is to provide local employers with skilled workers so they can enter new markets, create new jobs, and grow their existing businesses.
Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District - $203,000: Blackstone Valley will create two biotechnical laboratories that will respond to the anticipated growth of STEM-related occupations. The labs will feature state-of-the-art equipment designed to serve both academic and vocational instruction. The program will begin as a core science offering with concurrent certification, and college credit, in biomedical science. These courses will also enhance several vocational programs with additional lab space, including Health Services, Engineering, Dental, Post-Secondary Practical Nurse, Veterinary Assistant, and Advance Manufacturing.
Boston Collegiate Charter School - $150,000: The school plans to expand access to academic and career exposure in computer science, engineering and robotics by upgrading STEM equipment in the newly established maker space. The new maker space serves as an entry point for learning about design, robotics, computing and IT. Students gain technical competency, problem-solving skills, along with the confidence and inspiration to further engage in STEM learning at BCCS.
Boston Green Academy - $119,800: With the grant, Boston Green Academy will be able to teach nearly 500 students in grades 6-12, their families and residents, how to plan, grow, and harvest edible crops in a year-round urban agricultural lab. Instruction will take place in the environmental science program, established in 2017. The addition of the year-round growing environment will give all Boston Green Academy students a functioning lab in which to learn about producing food in urban and climate-challenged conditions. In addition to the science of agriculture, the contained lab will provide an ideal model for students to gain skills to create a business, manage staff, work collaboratively, maintain inventory, and learn marketing and distribution, all while growing food for their families and the community.
Bristol Community College - $664,000: Bristol Community College was awarded a two-year grant to purchase equipment to support the Global Wind Organization Basic Safety Training and Basic Technical Training for careers in the emerging offshore wind industry. Each training area is certified by the Global Wind Organization (GWO) and successful graduates earn a Basic Safety and Technical Training certificate, valid for two years and a required workforce credential for offshore wind occupations. A skilled workforce in the Off-Shore Wind industry is projected to be needed by 2020.
Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School - $119,278: The school will develop a new career and vocational program in robotics and automation technology that will target industry needs in advanced manufacturing, automated technology, and engineering. The new equipment will expand course offerings and certifications available, as well as support after-school adult training programs in collaboration with MassHire. This new program will create pathways to certification, graduation and employment for students.
Brockton High School - $300,000: The high school will expand its long-established Health Assisting program, doubling the number of students who complete nurse assistant training course. With the grant, the school will purchase vital equipment that will allow it to increase the number of students completing the program. In addition, Brockton High will work with other high schools, Champion High School and Edison Academy, to offer training opportunities to their students. The school’s advisory board, as well as stakeholders in the community including local hospitals, clinics and other educational partners, are committed to expanding training so more students become employable in the healthcare industry in Southeastern Massachusetts.
Bunker Hill Community College -$222,012: The grant will support the college’s growing associate degree program in biological sciences, which has three concentrations – biotechnology, biology transfer, and medical professions. The college will equip a new biology laboratory designed for this major, as well as upgrade an existing laboratory so that it can offer upper-level chemistry courses and other STEM majors.
Burlington High School – $225,700: The high school plans to improve the equipment in its Innovation Pathway program in information technology. The school will purchase new computers, robotics, augmented/virtual reality equipment in order to expose more students to computer science. The school is currently limited in the number of students who can access the program due to equipment constraints.
Cape Cod Community College - $250,000: The college will purchase training equipment for the Emergency Medical Services (EMS/EMT), Paramedic and Funeral Services programs. The college will offer an Associate of Science in Funeral Service, Emergency Medical Technician Certification, and Paramedic Certification. Cape Cod Community College will work with MassHire and local school districts to recruit students, including individuals with significant barriers to employment.
Center for Manufacturing Technology (CMT) - $311,131: The Center for Manufacturing Technology provides unemployed and underemployed individuals in Essex, Middlesex and Suffolk counties with industry-recognized credentials and meaningful employment outcomes. The grant will support the purchase and installation of equipment in the Introduction to General Machine Shop Practices, and Advanced Machining CNC Milling and Turning training programs. The new equipment will provide students with access to industry-standard mills, lathes, sheet metal equipment and machinist tool and inspection kits.
Central MA Center for Business and Enterprise/Blackstone Valley EdHub - $250,000: The Center will purchase equipment to meet industry demands in welding, robotics and drafting. The equipment will help provide valued credentials to students and fill a critical need in the local manufacturing sector. The center plans to add the Mindsight Learning Management Software to its existing network to enable anytime, anywhere learning through EdHub’s online coursework. Several courses, including ePortfolio development, financial and digital literacy, and entrepreneurship, will become invaluable resources to schools, businesses and students who need to gain competency without having to leave their location. This option will allow BV EdHub to dramatically expand its student network.
Chicopee High School - $150,000: The high school will purchase equipment for its Machine Technology program to encourage more students to take advantage of its Innovation Lab. In the lab, students collaborate, design, fabricate, test and transform their ideas into a physical creation. With the new equipment, the school will be able to expand the number of students able to take part in the Machine Technology program so more students are prepared for careers in advanced manufacturing.
Everett Public Schools - $205,754: Everett Public Schools will purchase equipment for its STEM Academy and Allied Health Academy. The STEM Academy prepares students to pursue a future in biotech, mechanical, civil or computer engineering. The Allied Health Academy focuses students on careers as physicians, nurses, physical therapists, lab, radiology and other health-related areas.
Danvers High School - $205,000: The high school plans to launch a new Health Care Simulation and Training Center that will give students experience to practice care management skills needed to pursue a career in health care. Students will be prepared to become Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), as well as enter a variety of degree or certification programs in health care at North Shore Community College.
Dearborn STEM Academy - $200,000: The school is developing an engineering/advanced manufacturing pathway that will launch in the 2020-2021 school year aimed at attracting students who have historically been underrepresented in degree and credential completion in these fields. The grant will enable the school to purchase specific technology and simulation equipment that will educate students and provide for certain certifications.
Dudley Charlton School District – Shepherd Hill Regional High School, $327,255: Shepherd Hill Regional High School launched an early career pathway in manufacturing. The program will be expanded to students in 9th and 10th grades, and the school will strive to support low-income students, English Language Learners and students with disabilities, or others who might already be exploring post-secondary education options. Students will gain valuable curriculum and hands-on experience that will allow them to gain credentials and MACWIC advanced manufacturing certifications.
Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers (EMK) $250,000: EMK will expand its new Health Assisting program, which started in 2016 with donations of used equipment from Brigham Hospital. The academy is experiencing increased demand from prospective students who live in the Boston area. Along with installing current bedside equipment and technology at its Fenwood campus, students will gain work experience at clinical sites so they gain the skills necessary for employment.
Fitchburg High School $250,000: The high school is developing an Advanced Manufacturing program geared toward students who are interested in being ready for the workforce upon graduation. The goal of the program is to provide content and workforce development while serving an identified need in the local labor market. Students will have opportunities for technical training and learning experiences that will mirror experiences necessary for success. The school is working closely with industry partners to ensure it provides industry-recognized credentials.
Franklin County Technical School - $250,000: The school will equip a new Nursing SIM Lab to offer a Certified Medical Assistant program to high school students in grades 9-12 and offer an evening Licensed Practical Nursing program to adults that will work at local hospitals, clinics and colleges. The new equipment will include simulated patients with computer-driven, physiologically-based responses that react to interventions in real-time, and virtual reality excursions bronchoscopy and laparoscopic.
Future Chefs - $115,056: Future Chefs provides job training to low-income teens in Boston, preparing them to enter the culinary industry with job-readiness that sets them up for success in any industry. Future Chefs is building a new teaching kitchen with professionalized production capacity. The kitchen will allow the organization to expand its work-based learning program and enhance the breadth of its teaching.
Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute/Gloucester Biotechnology Academy $125,000: Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute is a world-class research institute and teaching facility that will use its grant funding to build a biomanufacturing training center that will expand the Gloucester Biotechnology Academy. The Academy offers a nine-month, laboratory intensive biotechnology certificate program which provides a pathway to a career as a technician in the fast-growing biotech industry. Through the grant, the Academy will double its enrollment and expand the skills and credentials of graduates, launching them into careers as highly-qualified entry-level biotech lab technicians. The Academy will offer a new biomanufacturing curriculum and hands-on learning experience, with a new laboratory and classroom with specialized equipment that will simulate the professional environments students encounter in biomanufacturing.
Greenfield Community College - $147,097: The college will expand its Farm and Food Systems agriculture program to include sustainable industrial-scale production farming management practices on its half-acre Meadow Farm plot at the main campus. The Farm and Food Systems program gives students an understanding of the ecological, economic, political and social systems as they relate to food and farming. Students also learn hands-on skills through internships and applied courses such as Mushroom Foraging and Cultivation, Beekeeping, Four Season Farming, Organic Gardening, Food Preservation and Introduction to Food System.
Hampden County Sheriff’s Department (Women’s Facility) - $145,744: The Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center, part of the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, plans to create an integrated textile machine operation training program. The training will include a computer component, including a Smart Board for instruction in specific software designed for the textile industry and various Microsoft applications for pricing, inventory control and product design. The program will target Advanced Manufacturing as the umbrella industry, with a focus on textile manufacturing.
Holyoke Community College - $240,743: The college will make improvements to the on-campus instructional kennel for the Veterinary Technician program. HCC offers the only American Veterinary Medical Association-accredited Veterinary Technician program for residents in the four Western Massachusetts counties. The training benefits recent high school graduates, adult learners, incumbent workers, and unemployed and underemployed residents. Through the grant funding, the college will increase enrollment, and create a new stackable credentials Veterinary Assistant certificate program.
Labouré Center Adult Education Programs - $137,358: The Labouré Center programs consist of ESOL courses for 182 low-income adult learners, and training for Certified Nursing Assistant and Home Health Aide programs for 150 students. The funding will enable the Center to purchase new technology, including health training equipment and computers in order to expand enrollment and provide additional training in the evening, heling more students earn credentials, certification and higher-level academic programs.
Lower Pioneer Valley Career & Technical Education Center (CTEC)- $200,000: CTEC is a half-day vocational school in West Springfield that offers eleven vocational programs for approximately 460 students from nine different school districts. Four years ago, CTEC opened a machine technology shop to provide training for both high school students and unemployed/underemployed adults, in partnership with the Hampden County Workforce Board. CTEC will use the grant to upgrade manual milling and lathe equipment to include CNC capacity, update software, and replenish tooling. The program will also purchase equipment to expand Arborculture and Turf Management concentrations as part of its certified Landscaping/Horticulture program.
Mashpee Public Schools: $202,175 – The school district is creating a health services clinic space at Mashpee Middle-High School, and the grant will outfit a lab space within the school’s technology center with the necessary equipment so students can be certified in health and medical assisting careers, including Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) Home Health Aides, and Medical Assistants. The equipment will also create opportunities for the Middle/High School to offer adult training programs in the evening.
Massachusetts Bay Community College- $200,000: Mass Bay Community College, and its partners Framingham State University, Framingham High School, and Keefe Regional Technical School, are working together to increase the number of women and students of color who pursue degrees in computer science and information technology. The schools will use the grant to develop three computer laboratories and one robotics lab at each partner location.
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts - $421,546: MCLA will provide students in health sciences and radiologic technology programs with the most up-to-date equipment to prepare them for careers in radiology. Berkshire County is experiencing a shortage in radiologic technologists and the availability of training in the field is limited. MCLA is one of only five programs offered in the region. Students will benefit from new equipment, including Digital Direct X-Ray System, an Anatomage table, which allows radiology and health science students a 3D virtual high-impact learning experience.
Mattapan Greater Boston Technology Learning Center - $177,908: Mattapan Tech will expand its Youth At-Risk IT Job Training and Digital Literacy program for foreign-born workers who reside in Randolph. The new equipment will enable Mattapan Tech to deliver training to an additional 160 individuals in Randolph and neighboring towns and will be used after hours for the town’s ESL program, the Randolph Educational Collaborative, hosted by the Randolph Public Schools. Mattapan Tech’s job training programs include desktop technical support, network technical support, network security specialist, MS Office, Digital Literacy and CompTIA Exams Preparation.
Medford Vocational Technical High School - $287,055: MVTHS will develop a new Engineering Technology Training Center as part of the Medford High School complex, which encompasses both Medford High School and Medford Vocational Technical High School. The new center will be housed in a renovated 5,000-square-foot former storage area and will include a new software and electronics lab space; a 2,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing and automation floor shop, and separate classroom space. The center will serve as the new home for engineering and robotics CTE training programs, targeting industries such as advanced manufacturing, software development and supply chain automation. The expanded space will allow the school to double its enrollment and provide vocational training for more than 100 non-CTE enrolled students each year, as well as adults seeking training in advanced manufacturing.
Nashoba Valley Technical High School - $125,000: The school will use the grant to improve its Culinary Arts and Hospitality programs by modernizing it into a 21st Century workspace. The school will purchase new walk-in coolers, freezers and combo-ovens to train students on the latest kitchen technology. New updated server stations will train students to expedite food service. The equipment will be used to train current students, as well launch future post-secondary pathways and summer programs for middle school students.
Northbridge High School – $250,000: The high school is looking to expand its Innovation Pathway program in IT, as well as its Engineering and Communication/Technology Career Academies. The training for the program was developed in coordination with industry advisors and Quinsigamond Community College. Students will have the opportunity to earn industry credentials, including Amatrol Industry 4.0, Fanuc, MSCC CPT and CLT (certified production technician and logistics technicians). Students will also be able to earn early college credits for IT-based courses through partnerships with Quinsigamond Community College and New England Institute of Technology.
Northeast Metropolitan Vocational School District - $250,000: The school will enhance its Metal Fabrication/Welding career pathway, with the goal to train students on the most current industry equipment to meet needs of area employers. The school will purchase two platforms of welding equipment, Chrome books, and state-of-the-art workstations.
Northern Essex Community College - $250,000: Northern Essex Community College, and its partners, are launching a Culinary Arts certificate program that will be located in downtown Haverhill. The program aims to address the high demand for culinary workers in the Merrimack Valley. Through its business partners, the program will provide training to incumbent workers, unemployed and unemployed adults, and students interested in starting careers in culinary arts.
Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School - $275,000: The school plans to strengthen its advanced manufacturing program for adults and high school students to develop skills needed for careers in manufacturing, construction, emerging industries, and professional, scientific and technical services. Old Colony will partner with MassHire and industry partners, including AccuRounds, to train unemployed and underemployed adult learners in the Southeastern region.
Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School - $322,161: The school will update its Health Assisting and Science laboratories to enhance course offerings and introduce Advanced Placement and Project Lead the Way biomedical science pathways. Instructors will train students in grades 9-12 who attend Pathfinder, as well as incumbent employees in the regional who are looking to upgrade their skills. Students will be prepared for success in the Healthcare and Manufacturing industries, or transition to further studies in nursing, medical lab technician, surgical technician, biomedical manufacturing technician fields.
Plymouth South High School - $317,915: Plymouth High is using the grant for its Virtual 3D Auto Suite, which houses cutting-edge AR/VR products that enhance training in the transportation field. The school plans to increase training opportunities for current and future auto technician and collision students, while reducing training costs and increasing safety. The Virtual 3D Auto Suite gives trainees AR/VR experiences with real time hands-on training while enhancing students’ experiences in Auto Tech with a STEM approach. The Virtual 3D Auto Suite allows students to practice assembly and disassembly within a 3D virtual auto shop.
Project Lead the Way - $500,000: Project Lead the Way (PLTW) will use the grant to support equipment purchases at eligible schools in Massachusetts working to implement a PLTW program for the first time or expand existing programs. Project Lead the Way works with low-income school districts to provide curriculum, teacher professional development, supplies and other materials. PLTW focuses on pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science to prepare students for careers in priority sectors, including health care, advanced manufacturing, construction, and professional and technical services.
Quabbin Regional High School - $225,00: Quabbin Regional High School will use the grant to purchase equipment for its recently designated Innovation Pathway programs in manufacturing and information technology. The high school received designation from the state for its Innovation Pathway program, which is aligned to closing the skills gap for regional employers, specifically its partner businesses, Vibram, L.C. Starrett, Quabbin Cable and Wire, and Saint-Gobain. Later this year, the school plans to offer training and credentials to adult students.
Quincy High School - $136,200: The high school will improve its Plumbing Technology program to strengthen their critical plumbing technology skills. Quincy High will train approximately 276 students over the next four years to enter jobs as plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters. The high school is supported by three dedicated partners, including Plumbers & Gasfitters Local Union 12, City of Quincy Inspectional Services, Department of Plumbing and Gas Fitting, and MassHIRE South Shore Workforce Board, all of which work to ensure Quincy High graduates find internships, apprenticeships and employment opportunities after graduation.
Salem - $218,199 - This grant will be used to purchase equipment for two programs, Culinary Arts and Medical Assisting.
Shawsheen Valley Technical School $200,000: The school will outfit its newly approved Engineering Technology program with industry-standard equipment, including a variety of engineering training systems and 3D printers, to enable students to attain sought-after industry credentials. Students completing this program will be prepared to help engineers design, develop, test and manufacture industrial machinery, consumer products, and other equipment. Students graduating from this program are poised to pursue post-secondary education in engineering. The same equipment will help train unemployed and underemployed adults in the evening program, who upon completion can be employed as manufacturing technicians or advance their careers in related advanced manufacturing or engineering fields.
Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School - $257,663: The school will modernize and expand its Health Assisting Program for students during the day and build out its Adult Community Education (ACE) evening and weekend programs, which targets adults looking to gain skills for new careers. The school will purchase EKG equipment, create industry-standard patient pods, and purchase modern simulators, models and mannequins.
Southeastern Regional School District - $400,000: The school plans to convert classrooms into clinical simulation labs that mirror 21st Century healthcare settings that provide students with invaluable simulation-based learning experiences. The school district has seen a 100 percent increase in enrollment in the program over the past five years. The grant will enable the district to create a part-time evening program for unemployed and underemployed adults looking to become medical assistants.
Springfield Technical Community College - $250,000: STCC plans to double the size of its current Metrology lab with the addition of five new coordinate measuring machines (CMMs), a second cabinet of metrology tools that contain digital calipers, micrometers, pin and bore gauges, and a 3D printer that will allow the department to create parts customized to lesson plans. The new equipment will provide students with more hands-on instruction time to better prepare them for the job market. Students in the Health Science degree program will benefit from birthing patient simulators, a CAN patient simulator, a classroom simulation ambulance, and a powered ambulance cot to help educate students in the EMT, CAN, and Nursing programs.
Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School - $148,074: The school has plans to launch a Medical Assisting program and will use the grant to furnish a new laboratory with exam tables, autoclave, CPR and patient mannequins, electronic microscopes, phlebotomy chairs, and ambulatory aides. Students will be able to study basic laboratory skills, medications, electrocardiography, nutrition, infection control and electronic medical records. Careers in medical assisting provide entry to high-demand, higher paying positions in the healthcare industry.
Uxbridge High School - $200,000: The high school previously developed Innovation Pathway programs in advanced manufacturing, information science, and biomedical science to give students college coursework and work experience in those fields. The equipment purchased with this award will further the capacity of students in design, manufacturing, and engineering with additional computer hardware, enhanced wireless access, 3D printing, and laser engraving – all technology needed to expand access to these growing programs and enable students to earn credentials in additive manufacturing, Adobe software, and engineering design.
Westfield Technical Academy - $200,000: The grant will support the school’s Allied Health and Culinary Arts career-technical programs for students in grades 9-12. The Allied Health program will create mock exam and hospital rooms equipped with EKG machines, vital signs monitoring equipment and lifts. The Culinary Arts program will upgrade is ovens, range, meat slicer and mixers, along with purchase more specialty equipment like waffle and ice cream makers.
Worcester Technical High School - $87,100: The high school was awarded a multi-year grant to support four programs. The school will develop an Engineering Fabrication Center in order to congregate three current pathways into a concept, design and engineering hub that provides students the space and tools that meld theory and practice in order to gain the critical skills to meet workforce demands. In addition, the high school will expand its Culinary Arts program through a food truck that will bring the students culinary skills into the community.
YouthBuild Lowell at Community Teamwork Inc. - $182,572: Community Teamwork Inc. will support its YouthBuild Lowell Culinary Arts vocational program by purchasing a catering van to enable the program to expand by 50 percent and improve the quality of its program for at-risk youth who participate. The program is a 10-month vocational training program which offers education, training, work experience, and life skills training through stackable credentials that maximize the likelihood that participants will be employed in the culinary industry. Students earn HiSet, OSHA 10, Allergen Awareness, the nationally recognized Hospitality/Culinary NRAEF Restaurant Ready credential, and Serv Safe Manager’s certification.