Sen. Gómez Highlights Workforce Grant to Expand Healthcare Career Pathways

BOSTON — State Sen. Adam Gómez is highlighting a $500,000 state investment that will expand healthcare workforce training in Hampden County, helping prepare local residents for in-demand careers while strengthening the region’s healthcare system.

The funding, awarded to the MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board through the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development’s Senator Kenneth J. Donnelly Workforce Success Grant Program, will provide training and job placement services for 85 unemployed and underemployed residents pursuing careers as medical assistants, certified nursing assistants (CNAs), and emergency medical technicians (EMTs). The initiative will be delivered in partnership with regional employers, including Caring Health Center, Baystate Health, National Ambulance, Baystate Ob/Gyn, Holyoke Medical Center, and Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

“This investment is about creating opportunity while strengthening the workforce our region depends on,” Gómez said. “Western Massachusetts continues to face significant demand for skilled healthcare professionals, and this grant will help connect residents with high-quality training that leads directly to family-sustaining careers. At the same time, it will help local hospitals, health centers, and emergency medical providers recruit the skilled workforce they need to continue delivering quality care. Investments like this strengthen our economy, expand opportunity, and build a healthier future for our communities.”

The Senator Kenneth J. Donnelly Workforce Success Grant Program, administered through the Massachusetts Workforce Skills Cabinet, supports regional partnerships that prepare unemployed and underemployed residents for careers in high-demand industries while helping employers meet workforce needs. The Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund aligns public and private resources to expand career pathways while addressing workforce shortages in key sectors across the Commonwealth.

The grant represents a significant investment in Hampden County’s workforce, expanding access to career pathways while helping regional health care providers address persistent staffing shortages and meet the growing demand for care throughout Western Mass.