WORCESTER, MA—July 11, 2022 — Today, Quinsigamond Community College was awarded a $735,000 workforce training grant from the Baker-Polito Administration. A total of $15 million in workforce training grants were awarded to the Commonwealth’s 15 community colleges in support of the creation and expansion of training programs in high-demand industries, such healthcare, education, manufacturing, information technology and cybersecurity.
“Education is at the heart of all economic growth and this type of revenue stream goes a long way in supporting our region’s employers, incumbent workers and potential workers,” said QCC President Luis G. Pedraja, Ph.D. “Our students, our industries, and our Commonwealth will all prosper from this funding.”
In late June, QCC was also awarded $500,000 in state funding to train and help place over 70 participants into biotechnology jobs. Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, along with Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, Rosalin Acosta, visited QCC’s Healthcare and Workforce Development Center to announce the grant, which is part of the Senator Kenneth J. Donnelly Workforce Success Grants for Expanded Training Capacity & Employment Program Performance.
During the Donnelly Workforce Success Grant announcement, Lt. Governor Polito and Secretary Acosta also toured some of QCC’s healthcare labs and interacted with the college’s state-of-the-art, hands-on simulation equipment.
“I’m encouraged by the work that’s being done here at QCC and all the grantees that have been awarded today. I’m very optimistic that our academic institutions are going to step up to meet this moment. We need our community colleges more than ever. You have the best platform to get this work done,” Secretary Acosta said.
The training programs will assist those populations who have traditionally experienced higher rates of unemployment, as well as barriers to employment identified by the Black Advisory Commission and the Latino Advisory Commission. Priority will be given to those who are unemployed and underemployed.
“One of the goals of these grants is to help address shifting economic conditions that occurred for many residents brought on by the COVID-19 crisis, and persistent racial inequities and workforce challenges that existed in the Commonwealth before the pandemic,” said Education Secretary James Peyser. “We anticipate these new training opportunities will make it easier for more people to move into high-demand, higher paying careers.”
Approximately one third of the $15 million grant funding will be allocated toward training programs for the healthcare industry, which is in high demand across the Commonwealth.
To learn more, visit QCC’s Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education.