Fortunately, Democrats and Republicans in Massachusetts seem to agree that workforce training is essential to meeting industry’s needs of the future. Gov. Charlie Baker’s $15 million awards in workforce training grants will not only bolster the community colleges that receive it, but also will strengthen the state’s future employment position.
Developing a strong technical training foundation cannot be done through one or two budgets, or by occasional grants. Success is achieved only with a sustained commitment that crosses political lines and is maintained throughout the inevitable ebbs and flows of the state economy.
Baker has made technical training a consistent part of his approach to industry and education. He is leaving in January, but continued emphasis on such skilled job training must continue, and given the demand for qualified workers, there is every reason to expect it will.
The state’s 15 community colleges, including those in Springfield, Holyoke and Greenfield, will receive $735,000 apiece. The remainder of the grant will be allocated based on student enrollment demand.
Special emphasis will go to training in health care, education, manufacturing, information technology and cybersecurity. Approximately one third of the grant will go toward building capacity in training programs for health care, which responds to a crucial need in Massachusetts.
When it comes to government funding for education, these are especially challenging times. From preschool and child care to four-year colleges, administrators at every level of our system are clamoring for assistance they say they desperately need, and with reason.
Baker has remained on point that technical training, which is handled so well at the community level, cannot be left behind or emphasized in one year’s budget but pushed aside in the next.
Business, industry, manufacturing and health care executives deliver the same message: the Massachusetts economy and workforce will rise or fall based on whether skilled employees can be trained here and stay here to work here.
The $15 million grant to the community colleges is the right response. The next governor, whoever that may be, should keep workforce training on the front burner.
©2022 Advance Local Media LLC. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
