News and Happenings
All of the BayStateWorks projects are off and running. Education and training classes are operating in all of the projects, and partnerships are meeting. To celebrate these activities, we would like to highlight some of our happenings.
Spotlight: Franklin-Hampshire Regional Employment Board
Here are some other BayStateWorks news and happenings:
The North Shore Workforce Investment Board received an award to support jobs in aerospace.
The Boston Private Industry Council received funding to operate a health care training program.
Cambridge College received a grant of offer medical and human service translators.
The Boston Private Industry Council received funding to offer activities in the human services field.
The Berkshire County Regional Employment Board received an award to offer programs in manufacturing and information technology.
Action Inc. of Gloucester received an award to offer clinical medical assistant training.
Spotlight: Franklin Hampshire Regional Employment Board
The Franklin Hampshire Regional Employment Board, in conjunction with UMass Amherst, received BayStateWorks funding to offer programs in the education and manufacturing sectors. As part of this project, the REB offers BayStateWorks activities at Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts.
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28 physical plant and dining service workers at Smith College in Northampton have now completed an 18 hour course to prepare them for supervisory responsibilities in the next steps of their careers.
Both participants in the training and human resources officials responsible for coordinating the trainings are highly enthusiastic about the work so far and look forward to continuing with more in-depth training later this fall. One course graduate has already been promoted to a supervisory role.
Entitled Learning to Supervise: Essential Skills, the 6 session participatory workshop explored teamwork, communication, conflict resolution, and leadership in an interactive and dialogue-based approach. UMass Amherst based instructor Chris Spicer says: "The response was tremendous. These participants were all I could hope for in terms of their energy and commitment to take a hard look at the difficult work of managing and motivating others."
The first group of 16 students began their work last March. A second group completed their course at the end of August. The training is part of the Franklin/Hampshire Regional Bay State Works Program, managed by the UMass Amherst Labor/Management Workplace Education Program. At Smith, it is supported by the College's human resource staff and the leadership of SEIU Local 263 and 211.
Some highlights of the course include:
- Each student kept a learning log to record ideas from class, observations on the job, and document their efforts with class exercises or their own application of supervisory skills.
- With each topic (conflict resolution, teamwork etc.), the group created a skill inventory to use as an in-depth self-assessment. These were synthesized into a final self-assessment of essential skills.
- At the conclusion of the course, each student created a set of goals describing skills they wanted to focus on in the months beyond the course end. They also designated a buddy to check in with in an attempt to be accountable to these goals.
- Also at the end of the course, the group created a course end report that summarized their learning of "essential skills." The report was given to leaders of the two unions involved as well as the college's human resources department and a recently created committee on campus employee morale.
A Essential Skills II course will run later this fall, intended to deepen participants' interpersonal, team, and conflict resolution skills.
North Shore Jobs in Aerospace Manufacturing Project
The Jobs in Aerospace Manufacturing Project (JAM) began its pre-employed training program over the summer. The intensive 38 week machinist training program is designed to provide pre-employed individuals with the skills needed to obtain entry-level positions within the aerospace manufacturing industry.
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Activities included:
- Two "Interview Nights" held on July 21 and August 9 at the North Shore Career Center. At this event, JAM employer partners interviewed prospective pre-employed students. The event provided employers with the opportunity to meet students one-on-one as well as give students advice on improving their interviewing skills. Also, students were given the opportunity to learn more about the aerospace manufacturing industry. Both employers and students were very excited about the event. One student was hired as a result of the event!
- A shop visit to Middleton Aerospace Corporation, a JAM employer partner on August 13th. At this event students were able to see an actual aerospace machine shop in operation. They toured the machine shop and met with company representatives. The student found the visit very informative and the employer was very impressed by the students.
- Orientation at the E-Team Machinist Training Program, which kicked off classes on September 6 th . Current classes include: Math, Blue Print Reading, Machine Shop, Machine Shop Theory, and Career Preparation.
In addition, JAM is currently expanding its employer partnership in order to develop internship opportunities for students. Manufacturing companies interested in hiring an intern should contact the North Shore Workforce Investment Board at 978-741-3805 or visit our website at www.northshorewib.com.
Boston Private Industry Council (PIC), in its health care project, offers pre-employment activities
This summer, twelve college students with a future in health care careers took full advantage of an opportunity to connect practical work experience with classroom learning. Working in summer internships at either Massachusetts General Hospital or Brigham & Women's Hospital, these students also completed a course entitled Introduction to the Human Body at Bunker Hill Community College.
The twelve students in this class make up one-half of the Boston Private Industry Council's PS Health Care program, designed to support students interested in health care careers through the transition into and through college. All students are graduates of Boston Public Schools' Class of 2004 or 2005 and will be entering either their first or second year of college this fall. PS Health Care is funded through the Commonwealth's BayStateWorks Initiative, with support from the Legislature and the Department of Workforce Development.
The six week course was designed specifically for students looking for a foundation in anatomy and physiology as they begin their post-secondary education, which will ultimately lead to a career in the health field. Throughout the course, students focused on the following topics: the systems and organs of the human body, the relationship of the organ systems, human disease and pathology, human growth and development, and career paths in the medical field.
Students responded positively to the course content and appreciated spending time on a college campus before they officially matriculate in the fall. One student said of her summer course: "I feel that the A&P class gave me a lot of preparation on what to expect for college. It also taught me a lot of bodily functions and different diseases that happen within the body."
Cambridge College received a grant of offer medical and human service translators
September 22, 2005 is "New Bostonian Community Day," a fun and practical event intended to welcome new residents to the city of Boston. This event is expected to attract over 3000 participants, including many immigrants and other newcomers to the area, a great number of whom will need general interpreter services in a wide variety of languages to help them achieve maximum benefit from the various activities such as:
Immigration Clinics
Multilingual Tours of City Hall
Resource Tables
Multicultural Performances
Meeting City Officials
Ethnic Food and Music
Jobs and Training Information
Business Development Information
In anticipation of this need, Mayor Menino's office requested assistance from Cambridge College, which currently houses our new initiative, Pathways to Interpreting Careers. The mayor's representative, Armando Silva, the Constituent Advocacy Coordinator, visited the Cambridge campus on August 8 and met with Diane Lolli, Director of the Medical Interpreter Program, and several students, including some from the Pathways, to recruit volunteer interpreters and offer Cambridge College the opportunity to make a difference in the community. This was a chance for our students to practice their interpreting skills in a non-medical setting, network with others in their profession, and participate in an exciting event while giving back to the community that supports them.
Even though the Pathways students have just completed the second of their 6-module training program, we think the time is right for them to begin making connections that may serve them well on their search for paid employment, and we are happy to report that the spirit of volunteerism seems to be alive and well within this group.
Direct Care Workforce Initiative: Vinfen Offers Jobs to First Graduates
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Graduates who completed the 10-week pre-employment training program and partners of the Metro Boston Human Services/Direct Care Workforce Initiative join for a group photo at the Goodwill Industries headquarters on June 10. (click on picture to see a larger version) |
Last June, the first group of 10 students completed the Direct Care Workforce pre-employment training program and received job offers at various Vinfen locations. Newly graduated Helen Brown now works as a residential counselor at Vinfen's Pleasant St. program in Dorchester. "I am so glad that this door opened for me, says Brown, "because I have a passion for helping people and making a difference in the lives of others." Jennifer Dutra, who is the training instructor for the pre-employment program at Goodwill, salutes the initiative. "It was a wonderful experience," she recalls, "everyone bonded as co-workers, and I think they will do well on the job."
Launched in 2004, this Metro Boston Human Services/Direct Care Workforce Initiative is designed to answer the critical need for qualified workers in the human services field. "Vinfen has more than 100 vacancies for direct care workers but is typically unable to hire 75 percent of all applicants due to low literacy, math, and English language skills," says President Gary W. Lamson. "With this outstanding program, adults who would normally not have a chance for employment can get a rewarding job in human services while organizations like ours can build teams with motivated trained professionals."
Funded through the Commonwealth's BayStateWorks Initiative, with support from the Legislature and the Department of Workforce Development, the project is composed of two specific training programs: a 10-week pre-employment training and a 26-week incumbent worker program aimed at facilitating career growth for direct care professionals. Both were developed by a partnership composed of Vinfen Corporation, Goodwill, Boston Career Link, Metro North Regional Employment Board (REB), Boston Private Industry Council (PIC), Bunker Hill Community College, WorkSource Partners, and Boston Housing Authority.
"There are a lot of variables to make a training program successful, but first and foremost the management staff has to lead and support the initiative. We work with management teams across many workforce programs and in terms of leadership and support, this program is off the charts!" says Neil Silverston, president of WorkSource Partners. "Our team has been incredibly impressed by the commitment to individual growth from the people running your programs. They made it happen."
Three more groups of 10 are expected to complete the pre-employment training program and Vinfen is committed to hiring every graduate.
Berkshire
Through a competitive bid process, local workforce intermediaries partner with employers and education and training providers to devise education, training, career coaching, and career pathway solutions to increase employer productivity and improve worker and supervisor skills. New training can lead to wage gains and career advancement as well as business impact..
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Berkshire BayStateWorks students and instructors pictured as the first class takes the final exam to become certified as CISCO Certified Network Associates (CCNA). Students are from GE Advanced Materials, Specialty Materials, Comalli Electric, North Adams Regional Hospital, Williams College, and Adams/Cheshire Regional School District. (click on pictures to see a larger version) |
Action Inc. of Gloucester
The Action, Inc., of Gloucester recently launched its Health Care Industry Program, designed to train Clinical Medical Assistants.
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Enjoying their Action, Inc., classes are (left to right) Annette Parco, Misty Amero, and Laurie Grace.
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In three 30-week training cycles, the project will provide entry-level skills for individuals to climb the healthcare career ladder. The curriculm will include industry-specific contextualized basic skills, hands-on skills, and patient care experience. In the "doctor's office" classroom, students will have the opportunity to work in a simulated "real-life" environment. Life-skills and career readiness are included.
For information on this BayStateWorks project, contact:
Jane Saunders
(617) 727-8159, ext. 1228
