MassBay Will Open New Workforce Center in Ashland

ASHLAND, Mass. (August 2019) — MassBay Community College is pleased to announce it will open a new Workforce Development Center on our Ashland campus. This initiative will transform our Ashland campus into a centralized career and training facility focused on developing programming to assist adult workers interested in changing careers or elevating employment opportunities. This Center will add to the already robust automotive technology programs presently housed at the Ashland campus.

In January 2019, MassBay was awarded $75,536 from Governor Baker 2019 Skills Capital Grant to launch a MassHire/MassBay Workforce Training Center. MassBay, working in collaboration with our key regional workforce partner, MassHire Metro SouthWest, will develop trainings and hold workshops to strengthen students’ skills for future employment opportunities.

The Workforce Development Center will initially provide non-credit computer training in CompTIA A+, Network+, and Security+, which are The Computer Technology Industry Association’s entry-level certifications in computer services. These certifications will ensure individuals can enter the 21st century STEM pipeline and obtain sustainable jobs in technology fields. Students enrolled in the programs will develop in-demand technical skills and credentials through in-person and online instruction. They will participate in internships with regional employers, which will provide experiential learning and increase their understanding of the industry and its workplace culture and demands. In addition, program participants will take part in soft skills workshops, career advisement, job seeking assistance, and wraparound support services.

“The Ashland campus is poised to grow as a technology center,” said MassBay Director of the Office of Corporate Partnership and Workforce Development, Cora Miller. “We have a great core of offerings that will continue to grow as we evolve. We look forward to working with MassHire to ensure our programing is aligned in cultivating a strong workforce for MetroWest.”

According to the Greater Boston Workforce Planning Blueprint (2018), computer occupations are a critical component of its two major industry groups. The researchers also report that 87% of computer occupations are currently undersupplied within the region.

The Skills Capital Grant also allowed for the creation of a new multi-use cyber-lounge, the purchase of two Clear Touch smart boards, and laptop carts with 30 new laptops on the Ashland campus. “We converted the lunch area on the Ashland campus into a cyber-lounge that is flexible learning and lounging space for our students. The technology and the space really gives us an advantage to be able to adjust to any event or class held in Ashland. This is where the future is headed and MassBay is on the cutting edge,” added Miller.

This is the fourth Massachusetts Skills Capital Grant awarded to MassBay. In March 2017, MassBay was awarded $318,547 to provide support to our Health Sciences Division by purchasing much needed simulation mannequins; the STEM Division through the purchase of state-of-the-art electrical engineering equipment; and the Automotive Technology Center with the purchase of a Dynanometer that allows students to safely measure the power output of car engines. In October 2017, MassBay was awarded $454,148 to provide support to our Biotechnology and Cyber Security programs with new equipment to update our labs, development of “on-the-go” cybersecurity labs, and other equipment to prepare students for careers in these high-demand fields. In June 2018, MassBay received $494,000 to upgrade and expand the Health Sciences division’s simulation resources into a state-of-the-art Certified Simulation Center and Nursing Skills Lab. The Skills Capital Grant Program was established by Governor Charlie Baker in 2015, and awards grants for the purchase and installation of equipment and related improvements and renovations to support vocational and technical training.

To learn more about at MassBay visit www.massbay.edu

MassBay Community College is ranked by the Brookings Institution as one of the top schools for value added and earned salaries in the workforce. Ranked #1 for two-year colleges in Massachusetts, #2 in New England, and #16 nationally. The College’s facilities in Wellesley Hills, Framingham, and Ashland house day, evening and weekend classes that meet the needs of degree-seeking students and career minded life-long learners. Online options provide convenience and allow faculty to facilitate the learning process. Since its founding in 1961, MassBay has been accredited by several governing bodies and strives to meet the needs of the diverse local communities it serves.