Regional Initiatives
Working Together: Massachusetts' Regional Workforce Strategies Initiative
The Massachusetts Regional Workforce Strategy Initiative is a statewide effort to build regional pipelines to prepare Massachusetts workers for high demand jobs.
This statewide initiative will bring leaders in business, education, government, and workforce development together to develop concrete plans and partnerships to fill jobs that are in-demand in each region of the state and to develop pathways to the skills and opportunities that lead to success in our economy.
Industry Sector Strategies: Current CommCorp Sector Initiatives
Clean Energy Workforce Training Capacity Building RFP
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, in collaboration with Commonwealth Corporation, has issued the Clean Energy Workforce Training Capacity Building RFP. View the Clean Energy Workforce Training Capacity Building RFP.
Older Worker Retention Strategies
Many industries in the Commonwealth are facing worker shortages and knowledge drain due to the current or impending retirement of skilled workers. The intent of the Older Worker Retention Strategies Program is to support the Commonwealth's businesses in conducting the design and planning of strategies to:
- Increase their ability to retain their older workers (over 50 years of age); and
- Support the sharing of the strategies developed through these grants to increase our collective knowledge on methods for retaining older workers.
IPSEM
Through the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund, Innovative Post Secondary Education Models (IPSEM) grants ar designed to support post secondary institutions in developing and testing models for accelerating the acquisition of degrees and certificates that address a persistent labor market demand. Grantees have initially received planning grants. They will use this planning grant support to develop curricula and program design over a period of six months. They will then apply for implementation grants of up to $315,000, which will support them in piloting the models for two to three years and in developing sustainability strategies. IPSEM grantees have agreed to provide curricula and program materials for dissemination to other Massachusetts' post secondary institutions.
Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund (WCTF)
The Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund is a workforce development initiative that supports programs in critical industry sectors in Massachusetts. This state-funded initiative is administered by Commonwealth Corporation on behalf of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.
The WCTF was a key component of the Workforce Solutions Act/Economic Stimulus Bill of 2006 and was established with two objectives:
- To improve the competitive stature of Massachusetts businesses by improving the skills of current and future workers, and
- To improve access to well-paying jobs and long-term career success for all residents of Massachusetts, especially those who experience structural, social, and educational barriers to employment success.
The WCTF is guided by an advisory committee representing community-based organizations, education and workforce development agencies, labor, industries and employers. The advisory committee is chaired by Suzanne M. Bump, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development.
Extended Care Career Ladder Initiative (ECCLI)
ECCLI improves the quality of care for patients in long-term care while improving the worklife for caregivers through education, training, and the creation of career ladders. Since 2000, ECCLI has helped more than 172 nursing homes and home health agencies train over 9,000 individuals. ECCLI sites report improved worker retention rates and reductions in the cost of doing business, while improving the quality of patient care. Direct-care workers who completed at least one training module have received a wage increase at an average of $0.53 per hour.
Past Sector Initiatives
To view some of Commonwealth Corporation's Past Sector Initiatives, please click here.
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