On Tuesday, November 18, Middlesex Community College hosted an Employer Partner Appreciation Celebration at the Nesmith House in Lowell. Focusing on the value of collaborating with employer partners, the event was an opportunity for students and employers to share their experiences with Middlesex.
“Thank you to all our incredible community partners whose support and collaboration help Middlesex remain one of the premier career training institutions in the Commonwealth,” said Phil Sisson, MCC’s President. “This work is integral to contributing to the economic vibrancy and vitality of our community, equipping our students with industry-relevant skills and the workforce with highly knowledgeable employees. Our employer appreciation event was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate these partnerships and highlight our shared successes.”
The event was run by MCC’s Office of Career Integrated Learning (OCIL) and Corporate Education and Training division. MCC’s OCIL works with organizations to place students at paid internships as part of the Learn and Earn program. Pfizer has been a long-time partner of the college’s Biotechnology Learn and Earn program, which allows students to work at the company while earning their degree at Middlesex.
“I understand the value the program provides and was excited to help and try to grow it,” said Ben Caiella, Operations Manager and People Leader at Pfizer. “Our partnership has been great and a large portion of the success is the teamwork with the school that makes us feel supported throughout the process, from screening to completion of program. It’s important to have a varied supply of talent so that we can build teams with differing levels of experience as we’ve seen these types of teams have the most success.”
Roland Kazadi, an MCC Business Administration student of Pepperell, spoke on his experience in the college’s Business Learn and Earn program. From getting assistance in writing a resume and prepping for an interview to finding a position at Northern Bank, Kazadi is grateful to Middlesex for providing a “transformative” career opportunity while getting his degree.
“Learn and Earn didn’t just help me find a job, it gave me confidence, professional skills, and real-world experience that’s helping me grow while also supporting myself in college,” Kazadi said. “To all the employers, thank you for opening your doors to students like me. You are helping us turn our education into career opportunities and build futures we can be proud of.”
At MCC, the Corporate Education and Training division helps employers meet immediate workforce needs by skilling up employees. Geoff Vercauteren, System Director of Workforce Development for Lowell General Hospital/Tufts Medicine, appreciated being recognized by Middlesex and enjoyed hearing from students.
“MCC is a quality partner when it comes to developing workforce programs,” Vercauteren said. “They listen to the needs of their customers and come up with real-world based solutions that are responsive to the business needs of their customers. Investing in this type of training and education programming reaps long-term benefits around employee engagement, retention, promotion, and reputation of the employer as one that is forward thinking and provides opportunities for employment and advancement.”
During the event, participants also had the opportunity to network and learn about MCC’s program offerings.
“Together, colleges and community partners help build a vibrant local economy,” said Jennifer Freeman, MCC’s Dean of OCIL. “These partnerships ensure that college students are building the skills that employers need, so that they can have productive, successful careers when they graduate.”
Learn more about MCC's Office of Career Integrated Learning!