MCC Workforce Development Center Launches Free 12-Week Accelerated Welding Training

Granite State Manufacturing (GSM) and Manchester Community College (MCC) are thrilled to announce the creation of the MCC Workforce Development Welding Program. The first cohort will begin on May 20.

As a key player in the US Navy Submarine Industrial Base (SIB), GSM devotes most of its production to manufacturing complex mechanical assemblies for the Columbia Class (CLB) and Virginia Class (VCS) submarine programs.

The free 12-week accelerated welding program, supported by SENEDIA – The Alliance for Defense Tech, Talent and Innovation through their Department of Defense Innovation, Capability, and Modernization contract, with technical support from the US Navy, was designed from core classes in MCC’s well-established welding AS degree program. GSM’s welding team reviewed and contributed to the curriculum, ensuring it aligns with the exacting standards required for submarine manufacturing. This fast-paced program aims to equip students with the specialized skills to excel in the submarine construction welding sector.

NHTI Receives $500K Northeast Delta Dental Gift to Enhance Dental Hygiene Program

NHTI-Concord’s Community College and Northeast Delta Dental (Delta Dental) are expanding on a long-time partnership and shared vision to support oral healthcare in the region. The Foundation for NH Community Colleges received a $500,000 gift from Delta Dental for NHTI to address the demand for and shortage of dental hygienists and dental assistants. The gift is one of the largest in the history of the college and will support the expansion of NHTI’s dental clinic services to Medicaid patients.

“Northeast Delta Dental has long supported dental health for Medicaid patients,” says NHTI President Patrick Tompkins. “Through their vision and our partnership, for the first time NHTI will bring affordable oral hygiene care to this New Hampshire demographic that is important for the wellbeing of the Granite State.”

This investment from Delta Dental comes on the one-year anniversary of legislation that provided comprehensive Medicaid oral health benefits for NH adults. It enables NHTI to launch a three-year pilot initiative to expand the reach of the school’s Dental Hygiene Clinic, the educational facility on campus where students provide dental care to the public with close supervision by faculty.

The funds from Delta Dental, combined with an equal investment from the college, will allow for the hiring of a Medicaid specialist and a supervising dentist. In addition, the funding will allow NHTI to make necessary upgrades to the program’s equipment and improvements in the program’s materials and radiology labs.

LRCC to Celebrate 50 Years of Fire Science at Festival on the Hill on May 9 

For a half a century, Lakes Region Community College (LRCC) has been training the next generation of firefighters. LRCC will be commemorating the 50^th Anniversary of the Fire Science program on May 9 with current and prospective students, community stakeholders, former faculty, and alumni on hand. The on-campus Festival on the Hill event will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. and includes live music by Laconia’s Eric Grant Band, food vendors, campfires, campus tours, and a heartfelt acknowledgment of the program's remarkable 50-year journey.

LRCC offers a two-year associate degree and a 33-credit certificate program in Fire Science, which prepare students for a rewarding career as a firefighter. The program is recognized by the United States Fire Administration through the Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education Program and is ranked 4^th nationally among the 221 colleges who offer Fire Science programs.

“Whether an emergency is fire or EMS-related, rest assured that there will be graduates from this program on the scene,” said Nick Mercuri, LRCC Fire Technologies professor and department chair. “We want to extend a warm invitation to all to join in honoring the accomplishments and contributions of our Fire Science alumni, recognizing their unwavering commitment to serving and protecting our communities.”

WMCC Advanced Technology Building Officially Opens

April marked the opening of the White Mountains Community College Advanced Technology Building at the Littleton Academic Center. The Advanced Technology Building brings workforce opportunities to the region by providing high-demand programs in the North Country.

Melanie Robbins, WMCC interim President, opened the building in style with plasma cutting in place of a traditional ribbon cutting. The opening of the Advanced Technology Building provides state of the art technology and resources for WMCC’s current programs including Diesel Heavy Equipment Technology and Welding Technology, while developing new opportunities for growth in Power Generation, including electric vehicle technology and other emerging fields.

Renovation and expansion of the Advanced Technology Building has been made possible by generous donations from industry partners and through state and community support.