WorkReadyNH Offered at Lydia’s House of Hope

In a first-of-its-kind partnership, Great Bay Community College is bringing the career-building professional development program WorkReadyNH to residents of Lydia’s House of Hope in Somersworth, a transitional housing program for homeless women and children.

The first group of residents of Lydia’s House of Hope to participate recently graduated from the program, each earning professional credentials that certify their skills and readiness to join the workforce. All have landed jobs and are using skills they learned through WorkReadyNH in their employment.

“This class is going to have a long-term impact on the lives of these women,” said Jenny Beach, Program coordinator at Lydia’s House of Hope. “The communication skills and the soft skills they learned through this program are skills they will use the rest of their lives, both in the workplace and in their personal lives.”

NCC is Top 10 Bellwether Award Finalist for Microelectronics Boot Camp

Nashua Community College (NCC) is a Top 10 Bellwether Finalist in the category of Workforce Development. The selection was based on the success of NCC's Microelectronics Boot Camp, a short term, hands-on career training program that has prepared more than 300 area students for new careers and has helped local employers meet critical hiring needs.  

Launched in 2016, the Microelectronics Boot Camp celebrated its 30th graduation Nov. 16 at NCC with another cohort of graduates who are ready to enter to the workforce. This February, NCC will participate in the final round of the Bellwether Award competition in San Antonio, Texas along with other community college finalists from around the U.S.

ApprenticeshipNH Celebrated for Workforce Expansion Efforts

The 2023 ApprenticeshipNH Summit brought together more than 250 career seekers, employers, community partners and state agencies recently to celebrate apprenticeship programs as a successful workforce expansion solution in New Hampshire. Hosted by ApprenticeshipNH, a workforce program of the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH), the comprehensive event focused on strengthening the Granite State’s workforce. Held at NHTI – Concord’s community college, the Nov. 17 event included an apprenticeship fair, Champion Recognitions highlighting 11 prominent businesses and individuals, panel discussions, and interactive workshops that provided insights and resources needed to participate in apprenticeship programs. Gov. Chris Sununu joined to celebrate the program's many accomplishments.

“ApprenticeshipNH supports the Community College System of New Hampshire’s mission by creating career pathways in traditional and non-traditional sectors across the state,” said Dr. Chuck Lloyd, vice chancellor of CCSNH. “Since ApprenticeshipNH launched in 2017, the program has been widely successful and impactful, building 100 apprenticeship programs and assisting 1,300 apprentices with scholarships and support service funds to help create successful and impactful apprenticeship programs. We are expanding our program and working with communities to ensure these opportunities are accessible to everyone.”

Donors Helen Dutton and George Mullin Appointed to The Foundation for New Hampshire Community Colleges' Board

The Foundation for New Hampshire Community Colleges (The Foundation) recently welcomed Helen Dutton of Weare and George Mullin of Amherst as the newest members of its board of directors. Dutton and Mullin will bring more than six decades of business experience to The Foundation and a passion for helping students.



“We’re honored to welcome Helen and George to The Foundation’s board of directors,” said Tim Allison, The Foundation's executive director. “We've worked with both individuals to create scholarship funds for New Hampshire’s community college students. Their personal commitments and decades of business experience bring additional wisdom to The Foundation.”

The Aspen Institute Names White Mountains Community College as a Top 150 U.S. Community Colleges Eligible for the 2025 Aspen Prize

The Aspen Institute named White Mountains Community College as one of the 150 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. The institutions selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels of student success as well as equitable outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and those from lower-income backgrounds.

The Aspen Prize spotlights exemplary community colleges in order to drive attention to colleges achieving post-graduate success for all students, and is a central way Aspen researches highly effective student success strategies that are shared with the field. The 150 eligible colleges have been invited to submit student success data and narratives about strategies to achieve better and more equitable student outcomes as the next step in an intensive review process that culminates in the naming of the Aspen Prize winner in spring 2025.