Bunker Hill Community College Awarded $735,000 Workforce Training Grant
Funding for job-training programs is part of Baker-Polito Administration’s $15 million grant to Massachusetts Community Colleges
Thursday, July 21, 2022
Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) received a $735,000 workforce training grant, part of the Baker-Polito Administration’s $15 million award in workforce training grants to the Commonwealth’s 15 community colleges in support of the creation and expansion of training programs in high-demand industries, such healthcare, education, manufacturing, information technology and cybersecurity.
In addition to receiving money from the grant, BHCC and the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges will jointly administer the grant program with the Executive Office of Education and in consultation with the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and the regional Workforce Investment Boards.
"Community Colleges are not only engines of education, we are engines of economic development as well,” said BHCC President Pam Eddinger. “This grant means a pathway to better jobs for workers, and to a stronger workforce for the Commonwealth and our industry partners.”
Approximately 1,500 individuals will receive specialized training at no cost. About one third of the grant funding will be allocated toward building capacity in training programs for the healthcare industry, which is in high demand across the Commonwealth. The funding was included in An Act Relative to Immediate COVID-19 Recovery Needs, which was signed by Governor Baker in December 2021.
“These grants complement our administration’s ongoing work to address the skills gap by building additional training capacity at all the Commonwealth’s community colleges so people have opportunities to gain hands-on skills and knowledge in growing industries,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “It is crucial that we provide more residents with quality training options and eliminate the gaps between what skills the Massachusetts workforce has, and what skills employers need.”
“Workforce development is one of the fastest growing program areas at Bunker Hill Community College,” said Kristen McKenna, Dean of Workforce and Economic Development at BHCC. “The demand for short term credentials, training, and educational opportunities in Greater Boston is tremendous, and it is more critical than ever for institutions like Bunker Hill to connect with workers who are looking to upskill and move into new jobs in growing industries, especially in healthcare and information technology. This grant will support workforce development programs that can ensure a full and equitable economic recovery for those workers and for our industry partners in our region.”
BHCC’s Workforce and Economic Development Division offers skills training in both credit and non-credit educational courses in a variety of fields, including information technology, healthcare, pharmacy, marine technology, culinary arts, small business growth and management, and the cannabis industry. Workforce Development partners with businesses, industry, community organizations, non-profits and government to deliver innovative and responsive non-traditional educational programming that fosters a path to post-secondary education or into the workforce.
For more information visit bhcc.edu/workforce.
Media Contact:
Brendan P. Hughes, Director of Public Affairs
Bunker Hill Community College, Boston, MA 02129
Phone: 617-937-9365; Email: brendan.hughes@bhcc.edu
About Bunker Hill Community College
With more than 50 years of academic excellence, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is Massachusetts' largest community college, annually welcoming a diverse community of around 16,000 students. With campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, BHCC extends its reach across several locations in Greater Boston. The College offers associate degrees and certificates, early college and dual enrollment, community education, corporate training, and industry-specific training programs. BHCC is celebrated for its diversity, boasting a student body where 65% identify as people of color and more than half are women. The College also embraces a global perspective, with over 600 international students representing 90 countries and conversing in more than 65 languages. Our commitment to diversity is further reflected in BHCC's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI).