WORCESTER, MA – May 9, 2024 – Earlier this week, Quinsigamond Community College celebrated National Youth Apprenticeship Week with an informational presentation for students from Worcester Public Schools and QCC. The event included an interactive presentation from Josh Cutler, undersecretary of apprenticeship, work-based learning, and policy for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, as well as background on QCC’s IT Support Specialist Pre-Apprenticeship program.
“Apprenticeships have been around a long time in Massachusetts, but now we’re really leaning into it in new ways,” said Cutler, who had students read aloud Gov. Healey’s recently signed resolution supporting Youth Apprenticeship Week, which takes place May 5 through May 11, 2024.
“You are already ahead of the curve by being here today,” QCC President Dr. Luis Pedraja told the students. “QCC has a lot of new ventures in apprenticeships, including the new $252,000 Apprenticeship Expansion Opportunity grant we received from the state. The career landscape is shifting radically, and an apprenticeship can keep you on the forefront of any industry.”
Both Pedraja and Cutler commented on the transformative power of apprenticeships due to the format of earning a wage while receiving on-the-job training and industry-recognized credentials upon completion.
According to Kathleen Manning, the dean of QCC’s Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education, more employers are engaging in skills-based hiring, which means credentials received from apprenticeships are increasingly valuable.
For more information on QCC’s apprenticeship programs visit www.QCC.edu/apprenticeships.