QCC, MWCC granted $179K to train nurses, IT workers, and personal care aids

Photo | Courtesy of Mount Wachusett Community College Mount Wachusett Community College campus in Gardner

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Two Central Massachusetts community colleges have secured a slice of $1.5 million in state grant funding to train workers in the healthcare and IT industries.

Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester received $85,033, and Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner received $93,971 through state’s Training Resources and Internships Network grant program aimed at providing training services in key industries to more than 500 unemployed and under-employed people throughout the commonwealth, according to a Wednesday press release from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education.

QCC will use its implementation grant for its personal care aide training program while MWCC will use its grant for certified nursing assistant and information technology tech training.

“Community colleges are at the heart of workforce development in Massachusetts,” Massachusetts Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler said in the release. “Through this investment, we are creating pathways for adult learners to thrive, both in the classroom and in high-demand careers.”

The $1.5 million in financing was split amongst Massachusetts’ 15 public community colleges in grants ranging from $29,619 to $137,966. The grants include funding for 15 implementation programs and two planning projects that offer skills training, academic guidance, and wraparound services to support participants as they enter their new careers

“By providing targeted skills training in high-demand fields, these grants empower individuals to secure meaningful careers and simultaneously strengthen the Massachusetts workforce, ensuring economic mobility and opportunity for all,” Luis Pedraja, QCC president, said in the release.

With 3,737 students enrolled full-time, QCC is the third largest college in Central Massachusetts when ranked by full-time enrollment for fall 2023, according to data collected by WBJ’s Research Department. With 894 full-time students enrolled, MWCC is the 13th largest in the region.

Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion industries.