{"id":3275,"date":"2016-03-10T13:51:13","date_gmt":"2016-03-10T13:51:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.northcentralmass.com\/?p=3275"},"modified":"2016-03-10T13:51:13","modified_gmt":"2016-03-10T13:51:13","slug":"mount-wachusett-community-college-wins-2016-deval-patrick-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.northcentralmass.com\/es\/mount-wachusett-community-college-wins-2016-deval-patrick-award\/","title":{"rendered":"Mount Wachusett Community College wins 2016 Deval Patrick Award"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mount Wachusett Community College wins 2016 Deval Patrick Award
\n<\/strong>$50,000 annual prize given for innovative school-employer partnerships<\/em><\/p>\n

BOSTON \u2013 <\/strong>Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick announced at a Boston Foundation forum Tuesday afternoon that Mount. Wachusett Community College is the recipient of the 2016 innovation prize named for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m particularly happy to award this year\u2019s prize to Mount Wachusett Community College,\u201d Patrick said, lauding the college\u2019s manufacturing job training programs. \u201cWhen I proposed changes to the way we think of community colleges, this is the type of outcome I had in mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Boston Foundation created the Deval Patrick Award for Community Colleges in 2014 to recognize progress and excellence in establishing partnerships between employers and community colleges, in the process building effective career pathways for students from one of Massachusetts’ 15 Community Colleges.\u00a0\u00a0The annual $50,000 award is given to a community college selected by a volunteer committee of representatives from the higher education, workforce and business communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring his time as Governor of Massachusetts and since his return to private life, Deval Patrick has always demonstrated a commitment to advancing and improving educational and career opportunities for all residents of the Commonwealth, but especially to those most in need,\u201d said Paul S. Grogan, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation. \u201cIn hosting and presenting the Deval Patrick Award, the Boston Foundation seeks to honor Governor Patrick\u2019s passion and reiterate our own support for collaboration between the academic and business communities. Mt. Wachusett Community College\u2019s unique job training programs demonstrate the high level of timely innovation called for by the Patrick Award.\u201d<\/p>\n

MWCC, which serves 4,700 credit students at its main campus in Gardner and satellite campuses in Devens, Leominster and Fitchburg, was selected for developing its Advanced Manufacturing Technology Programs \u2013 stackable programs in advanced manufacturing that address local employer training needs and provide for multiple entry and exit points. Interested students can take non-credit or credit classes that lead directly to employment opportunities, industry credentials, and a pathway for completing additional credit courses at the college. Over the past two years, 291 students have enrolled in the program.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are honored that the Boston Foundation has recognized the value of the opportunities we are offering our students,\u201d said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. \u201cWe are very fortunate to be working with industry partners to ensure we are providing employers with a trained and skilled workforce so that we can support and grow our regional economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Advanced Manufacturing Technology Programs offer four levels of training:<\/p>\n