Massachusetts Community Colleges Awarded $20 Million U.S. Department of Labor Grant

Boston & Worcester, MA, September 26, 2011 – A consortia proposal submitted by all 15 Massachusetts Community Colleges has been selected by the U.S. Department of Labor to receive the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grant. This capacity-building proposal entitled “Massachusetts Community College and Workforce Development Transformation Agenda” will assist trade impacted and other eligible citizens of the Commonwealth to attain degrees, certificates, and industry recognized credentials that will help prepare them for high wage, high skill employment in an accelerated manner.

The $20 million dollar grant, funded through the U.S. Department of Labor in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education will create collaborative statewide change in the delivery system of high quality education and training programs for workers eligible under the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act (TAA) and beyond. “It is a new delivery model for a new era and will go a long way to make a significant difference in the lives of the individuals who need the training and education to get ahead in these challenging economic times”, said William Hart, Executive Director, Massachusetts Community Colleges Executive Office.     

This is the first time that an initiative of this magnitude has been undertaken by all 15 community colleges.  Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) was the lead institution that submitted the consortia proposal for the community college segment in partnership with the Commonwealth’s workforce system and industry partners.  The grant was designed to focus on key industry sectors that reflect the strategic economic development plan of the Commonwealth: Life Sciences and Biotechnology; Information Technology; Health Care; Clean Energy; Advanced Manufacturing; and Financial Services and Entrepreneurship.  Funding from this grant will provide a seamless pipeline of supports and activities from the moment the customer is notified of their layoff, to their completion of education/training, to their achievement of a new job or career; benefiting both the individual and the Commonwealth.