Welcome to the first issue of the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges' (MACC) Workforce Development Newsletter. This newsletter will help to keep you informed of upcoming events, deliver news to keep you in the know, and update you on the great things going on across the Community College system as it relates to workforce training and development.

Massachusetts Community Colleges offer accessible, high quality, affordable academic programs to residents in every corner of the Commonwealth. At a time when many workers will have to be retrained, re-skilled, and further educated in this new economy, the Community Colleges offer flexible programs for in-demand professions. Community Colleges are critical local and statewide economic engines that affordably train and educate the workforce of Massachusetts. 

In March 2021, the MACC announced the hiring of Lisa Huyghe as Director of Workforce Development. Huyghe will serve as a primary point of contact for developing training and partnership opportunities between the community colleges and employers across the Commonwealth.

Huyghe comes to the role with a background in higher education after serving at Curry College for fourteen years, and brings experience developing partnerships with community colleges, businesses, and healthcare organizations to provide degree completion and training and development opportunities for a diverse group of student and employee populations.

The WTFP, a program of the MA Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development awards grants to Massachusetts employers to upskill incumbent workers.

WTFP • General Program

The General Program provides grants to fund training for current and newly hired employees. Your local Community College can work with you to design customized training programs for employees and managers.  

WTFP • Express Program

The Express Program is available for companies with fewer than 100 employees. 

To learn more about the guidelines of these training funds or other training and development opportunities: Contact Lisa Huyghe.

Mount Wachusett Community College in conjunction with Wachusett Incubator presents a Virtual Entrepreneurial Roundtable Series, "How to Make an Early-Stage Business Thrive."

Learn more here.

Hear from Tom Moore, Principal at EcoLogic, about how Roxbury Community College's ESOL Program enhanced employee performance. 

English for New Bostonians Economic Opportunity Through ESOL

Setting supervisors up for success is key. North Shore Community College is offering a FREE, online Essential Skills for Supervisors Workshop.

Reserve your spot now!

Workforce Training Funds Information Session

Thursday, April 29, 2021

10:00 AM – 11:30 AM EDT

Hosted by Middlesex Community College

The session provides an overview of all of the Workforce Training Fund programs. Topics covered include: the features and requirements of each program, funding availability, and application process. Following the information session, participants should be able to determine which grants are best suited for their business needs and know how to begin the application process. 

The fifteen Massachusetts Community Colleges represent more than 136,000 students in every region of Massachusetts, providing higher education and workforce training opportunities to nearly half of all students in the state’s public higher education system and serving the largest share of first-generation students, low-income students, and students of color.

masscc.org