CCSNH Graduates Highest Number of Nursing Students Since 2013

This month the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) graduated 347 nursing students across the state, a record high in over a decade. Of those, 290 are prepared to become Registered Nurses (RN) and 57 as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), ready to enter a healthcare workforce stretched thin across the state.



"We’re proud of all our graduates for the success they’ve achieved academically and for the contributions they make to New Hampshire’s workforce, but the positive impacts they have on their communities across the Granite State might be particularly visible among our Nursing program graduates whose work touches lives in so many important ways," said CCSNH Chancellor Mark Rubinstein. 

The graduates enter a sector with critical staffing demands. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare and social assistance is projected to add roughly 5.2 million jobs nationally between 2024 and 2034, an 8.4 percent growth rate driven by an aging population and rising chronic conditions, making it the fastest-growing sector in the U.S. economy.



“New Hampshire hospitals are deeply grateful for the Community College System of New Hampshire’s continued leadership in building the state’s healthcare workforce pipeline,” said Steve Ahnen, president of the New Hampshire Hospital Association. “These graduates will make an immediate impact in communities across our state, helping hospitals and healthcare providers meet growing patient needs while strengthening access to care close to home. Expanding nursing and allied health education opportunities is essential to addressing workforce shortages and ensuring a strong, sustainable healthcare system for New Hampshire’s future.”

"Full Speed or Nothing" - Wolverine Spotlights MCC Welders

A team from Wolverine, the original American work boot brand, recently visited Manchester Community College’s (MCC) welding lab to interview welding faculty and Metallica Scholars for a content series spotlighting the "full speed or nothing" mentality behind the new 2026 Wolverine x Metallica Scholars Collection. The collaboration celebrates the next generation of skilled tradespeople while directly supporting workforce education programs across the country. During the visit, students were surprised with new work boots and graphic tees featuring custom artwork by Metallica collaborator, WOLFSKULLJACK.

The All Within My Hands’ Metallica Scholars Initiative helps students pursue careers in welding, advanced manufacturing, electrical work, and other essential skilled trades.

CCSNH was awarded $125,000 over two years from the Metallica Scholars Initiative to support students developing trade skills at the state’s seven community colleges, including MCC. Administered by the Foundation for New Hampshire Community Colleges, the grant has provided 224 students with financial assistance to offset the cost of specialized equipment, materials, protective gear, and other necessary degree-specific tools.

LRCC to Provide Customized Skills Training for Energy Contractors

CCSNH and Lakes Region Community College (LRCC) received approval for a $1.2 million Training for Residential Energy Contractors (TREC) grant approved by the New Hampshire Executive Council to meet workforce needs for energy contractors. A $32.4 million contract with Everblue, also approved by the Governor and Executive Council, will support the implementation of the Home Energy Rebates Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates program in New Hampshire. LRCC will lead the TREC training, working in close coordination with Everblue on programs that are expected to continue through 2029.

For many rural New Hampshire households that rely on high-cost fuels, electrification with cold-climate heat pumps as well as other energy efficiency measures are expected to significantly reduce overall residential energy costs.

“This is an opportunity to build and deliver an impactful program,” said Patrick Cate, president of LRCC. “These initiatives will truly benefit everyone involved – from the training participants who will learn new skills, to their employers who will be able to provide additional services to customers, to the homeowners saving money on their energy bills. And the program includes substantial tuition awards and support for TREC participants.”

ApprenticeshipNH, NHTI Host German Apprenticeship Team

ApprenticeshipNH, a workforce program of CCSNH in partnership with NHTI, Concord’s Community College, hosted a group of German students and faculty members in Concord April 18 – May 2, 2026. The goal of the exchange program was to provide Berufliche Schule Pinneberg student apprentices with a job shadow experience to gain a hands-on understanding of how American business operates and to exchange perspectives on workforce development strategies.

Germany’s apprenticeship system is widely seen as one of the most effective school-to-work pipelines in the world. Like NH’s ApprenticeshipNH model, it uses an earn-while-you-learn approach that blends on-the-job training with classroom learning, incorporating a strong employer role in shaping the experience to ensure students gain immediate workforce skills and high employability.



“It is validating to see our New Hampshire program reflect many of the successful strategies used in the time-tested German model,” said Kristine Dudley, director of Workforce Training at CCSNH. “Our programs ensure students incur little to no debt, encompass a wide range of occupational fields, and include industry- and nationally recognized credentials. It’s a proven and creative way for employers to build a strong local workforce pipeline and for students and job seekers to engage in an employment and learning pathway.”