The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced $7.4 million in workforce development grant funding for 16 initiatives across Massachusetts, representing partnerships with employers, training providers, and regional collaborators to train, upskill, and provide job placement for 1,161 workers for in-demand occupations in health care, education, information technology, and more.
Middlesex Community College was awarded $498,160 to train 104 unemployed or under-employed Massachusetts residents to become Certified Nurse Assistants (CNA). The college is partnering with Carleton-Willard Village in Bedford and Sunny Acres Nursing Home in Chelmsford to interview potential students for job placement, according to Caitlin Campopiano, MCC’s Director of Workforce Programs and Professional Education.
“We are honored to receive this grant, which will allow us to expand opportunities for students pursuing a CNA career,” Campopiano said. "This funding will allow us to provide hands-on training and education that directly supports our local long-term care facilities. Our students will gain the skills they need to make a difference in patients’ lives and strengthen the health care workforce in our community. Our graduates play a vital role in these facilities across the region, and this grant ensures that even more students can access the education and support they need to succeed in these essential fields.”
Run by the Community Education and Training division, MCC’s CNA program provides individuals with comprehensive, hands-on training opportunities to directly enter this in-demand field. The program covers everything students need to pass the Massachusetts CNA certification exam and enter the workforce.
In 2024, MCC opened a state-of-the-art CNA skills lab on the Lowell campus. The four-bed working lab features hospital beds, mannequins, wheelchairs and canes, and blood pressure cuffs and machines. Students practice hands-on in the lab to become well-equipped to work at their clinical sites.
The Senator Kenneth J. Donnelly Workforce Success grants are funded by the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and administered by Commonwealth Corporation through the state’s Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund. Each awarded grant aims to close the skills gap, increase access to well-paying jobs for unemployed and underemployed residents, and strengthen productivity and workforce needs among employers in regions throughout Massachusetts. Workforce Success grants fund job training and job placement for untapped talent and upskilling programs for incumbent workers. Among the 16 awarded grants, 7 grants will incorporate English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) in planned job training—an effort to reduce employment barriers such as language that some job seekers experience.
“Workforce Success Grants give residents the opportunity to gain new skills and launch careers in high-demand fields,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These programs help people earn good wages, build long-term career paths, and connect directly with employers who need their talents.”
“Investing in workforce development through programs like Workforce Success Grants is key to growing stronger local economies across Massachusetts,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “By preparing residents with the skills employers need, these grants help businesses fill critical roles, drive economic growth in every region, and ensure our communities remain vibrant and competitive.”
“We commend and thank these 16 grantees for their commitment to facilitating economic opportunities in our communities across the Commonwealth,” said Molly Jacobson, President and CEO of Commonwealth Corporation. “Through these investments in workforce training and job development, we are empowering job seekers to build meaningful careers in high-demand industries and supporting strengthening employers with a well-prepared workforce.”
MCC is one of sixteen grant recipients receiving approximately $7.4 million to provide training and placement services to 1,161 individuals throughout Massachusetts, including Action for Boston Community Development, Inc.; Asian American Civic Association; Brockton Area Workforce Investment Board; Center for Community Health Education Research and Service, Inc.; Children’s Hospital Corporation; City of Worcester/MassHire Central Region Workforce Board; Community Action, Inc., Community Servings; Franklin Hampshire Employment and Training Consortium; Hebrew SeniorLife; Jewish Vocational Service; Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation; Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries; North Shore Community Action Programs; and Springfield Technical Community College.