Massasoit Receives Third Skills Capital Grant from Baker-Polito Administration

July 17, 2018 – This June, Massasoit was awarded its third Skills Capital Grant from the Baker-Polito administration in the amount of $494,671. The funds will be used to purchase equipment for a new Certified Nursing Assistant program, and upgrade the existing Nursing and Allied Health programs. The programs will provide training for adults seeking employment, a career change, or incumbent workers looking to advance their skills, and the college will recruit unemployed and underemployed adults with barriers to employment by working with education and healthcare partners, community-based organizations, and career centers. Finally, Massasoit will purchase pediatric and simulation manikins, instructional technology to record and assess student performance and replace outdated medical devices with current technology.

The Baker-Polito Administration awarded $10.9 million in Skills Capital Grants to 33 high schools and educational institutions in their June round of awards, enabling the schools to acquire the newest technologies to educate students and expand programs. The Baker-Polito Administration has awarded more than $48 million to 157 different programs over the past three years. Massasoit’s previous two Skills Capital Grants partially funded the new state-of-the-art veterinary technician and engineering lab spaces on the Canton campus.

Skills Capital Grants are designed to help high schools, colleges, and other educational institutions invest in the most up-to-date training equipment to give their students an advantage when they continue in their chosen field or a particular area of study. Skills Capital Grants cover a broad array of fields, from construction and engineering to healthcare and hospitality.

“The equipment purchased by high schools and colleges over the past three years through Skills Capital Grants has directly impacted the educational experience for thousands of Massachusetts students to better prepare them for the workforce,” Governor Charlie Baker said. “This program has had a positive impact on students in the Commonwealth and we look forward to working with the Legislature to include $75 million worth of funding for Skills Capital Grants as part of the Economic Development bill we filed in the spring.”

“By giving our students the opportunity to learn on the newest technologies, we are ensuring they will be better prepared to succeed when they graduate from high school,”Lt. Governor Karyn Polito said. “We look forward to continuing our work with these 33 high schools and previous awardees to enhance their programs and develop a skilled workforce ready to meet the needs 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, in order to maximize hiring opportunities in each region of the state.

“Schools that receive these competitive grants are giving their students a head start by creating relationships with local employers who provide input and expertise about the skills and knowledge they will need to be successful in the future,” Education Secretary James Peyser said.

“Massachusetts’ continued low unemployment rates, coupled with job and labor force gains, has also created a tight labor market in which more and more employers are finding it difficult to recruit workers with the skills necessary to fuel their growth needs,” said Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta. “The Workforce Skills Capital grant program has had great success in closing those skills gaps and ensuring that the next generation of workers in the Commonwealth has the training necessary to access our high demand job sectors.”

“Massachusetts is a national leader in life sciences, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing sectors,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. “These grants will help ensure a strong pipeline of talented workers throughout the Commonwealth to support these key industries. A skilled workforce is essential for Massachusetts to have an edge in attracting employers in these sectors to locate and expand here, and for adding great jobs now, and in the future.”

The Skills Capital Grants are awarded by Governor Baker’s Workforce Skills Cabinet. Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Polito created the Workforce Skills Cabinet in 2015, bringing together the Secretariats of Education, Labor and Workforce Development, and Housing and Economic Development in order to align education, economic development and workforce policies, and to strategize around how to meet employers’ demand for skilled workers in each region of the state.