Sen. Gomez Announces Grants for Apprenticeship Programs

BOSTON — State Sen. Adam Gomez recently joined the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) in announcing grant awards of $275,000 for the Hampden County Workforce Board and $128,239 for the MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board.

“Whether for trades, tech, healthcare, or finance, apprenticeships give people the opportunity to earn money while learning highly specialized skills,” Gomez said. “Although some apprenticeships can offer course credits for college, a higher education is not necessarily the path to success for everyone, so I am pleased to see these apprenticeship programs will serve as a viable alternative for Hampden County residents seeking jobs.”

These apprenticeship expansion and opportunity grants will support various healthcare apprenticeships in Western Mass., serving 55 apprentices for the Hampden County Workforce Board and covering operating costs for existing grants and 10 additional healthcare apprentices for the MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board. As part of EOLWD, the Division of Apprentice Standards administers this initiative to expand registered apprenticeships to priority industries, diversify the existing apprenticeship workforce, and enhance apprenticeship programs in Massachusetts as part of the Commonwealth’s apprenticeship expansion plan.