State Awards $247,000 to Help Adults Transition to College, Develop Workforce Skills
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll administration announced it awarded $247,000 in Bridges to College grants to five community colleges and a healthcare staffing agency to help nearly 200 adult learners strengthen their academic skills and successfully transition into higher education and career training programs.
The Bridges to College Program supports community colleges and organizations that prioritize helping adult, low-income, and entry-level workers overcome obstacles that may prevent them from completing their degree and launching in-demand careers.
“Every Massachusetts resident deserves the opportunity to continue their education and build a better future for themselves and their families,” Gov. Maura Healey said. “These Bridges to College grants are making it easier for adult learners in the state to get back into the classroom and earn a degree by helping remove barriers, strengthen pathways to college, and create opportunities for Massachusetts residents looking for economic and career growth.”
The Bridges to College Program builds on efforts by the administration to help more students access college while boosting the state’s workforce and competitiveness. Working with the Legislature, Healey has doubled state funding for financial aid programs, including offering free tuition and fees to Pell Grant-eligible students at all public two- and four-year colleges and making community college free regardless of income level. Data from the first two years of MassReconnect show consecutive year-over-year enrollment growth of adult learners ages 25 and older, a growth of 20,000 adult learners alone over two years.
In October, the administration awarded $1.5 million in Training Resources and Internships Network (TRAIN) grants to provide essential training opportunities to more than 500 unemployed and underemployed residents. Massachusetts also recently launched a partnership with ReUp Education to bring adult learners who previously began, but did not complete, degrees and certificates at the state’s public colleges and universities back to college.
Two of the six grant awardees are in Western Mass.:
• Caring Medical Staffing, Springfield ($50,000): The Healthcare Workforce & College Transition Pathway is a comprehensive program designed to prepare learners for immediate employment in the healthcare field while creating a bridge to post-secondary education. Students will earn their certified nurse assistant certificate, CPR and first aid certificate, dementia certificate, and home health aid certification.
• Holyoke Community College ($40,524): In partnership with Western Mass CORE, HCC will develop enhanced college and career preparation modules to address key challenges that face adults seeking access to college and workforce programs.