Baker Administration Awards More Than $10.4 Million in Workforce Training Grants

Baker Administration Awards More Than $10.4 Million in Workforce Training Grants

More than 7,900 workers in the state will benefit from additional training

Boston – Tuesday, June 9th 2015 – The Baker-Polito administration awarded more than $10.4 million in Workforce Training Fund grants that will enable 186 companies in Massachusetts to provide customized training to existing employees.

The grants encourage economic growth in the state by allowing companies to invest in their workforce with additional training. Companies that receive the grants often experience savings generated through improved worker productivity, which acts as a catalyst for job growth. 

Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Ronald Walker, II and John Barros, chief of economic development for the City of Boston, announced the grant awards Tuesday during an event at the Hampton Inn and Suites Crosstown Center in Roxbury. Representatives from Associated Industries of Massachusetts, English for New Bostonians, the Boston Private Industry Council, and Massachusetts AFL-CIO joined the event to announce the grants.

“These grants are a tremendous resource in the Commonwealth for businesses and workers,” Gov. Charlie Baker said. “This will create an opportunity for employers to invest in the skills of their workforce in order to address shifts in technology and strengthen their competitiveness in the global economy.”

“With these grants, we are supporting small businesses in their efforts to upgrade the skills of their workforce and ensure they can grow in order to remain competitive,” Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said.

The Workforce Training Fund is a program of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.  The program is administered by

Commonwealth Corporation, a quasi-public state agency that fosters partnerships between industry, education, and workforce organizations to strengthen skills for youth and adults in order to help them thrive in the state’s economy.

The Workforce Training Fund provides grants of up to $250,000 to companies of any size in Massachusetts to pay for workforce training over a two-year period. Grants are awarded to projects that will upgrade workers skills, increase productivity and competiveness of Massachusetts businesses, and create additional jobs. Grants are matched dollar-for-dollar by the recipients.

“These grants are a tremendous resource, particularly for small businesses, to invest in their workforce and increase efficiency and productivity by giving workers additional skills,” said Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Ronald Walker, II. “With the state and the nation facing a skills gap in the workforce, anytime we can provide opportunities for additional training for people, we are helping the economy.”

“The people of Boston and our Commonwealth, who hail from every neighborhood and every corner of the world, fuel Boston's economic growth,” Barros said. “Business investment in training is among the best ways to cultivate great talent and maximize the value that working men and women bring to our economy. Workforce Training Fund grants present an excellent opportunity for Boston companies to invest in our greatest resource - our people.”

“Employers throughout the state understand the importance of a highly skilled workforce.” Rick Lord, president and chief executive officer of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, said.  “The Workforce Training Fund is an important tool for assisting Massachusetts businesses in becoming more competitive by investing in the skills of their workers.  I am pleased to see more businesses taking advantage of this opportunity and encourage others to do so.”

The grants also offer an opportunity for local businesses to improve communication and productivity at work by providing valuable language training for people whose native tongue is not English, (ESOL).

Claudia Green, executive director of English for New Bostonians - who helped to organize the event - spoke about the value of the Workforce Training Fund in providing English-language skills.

“When it comes to our state’s growing immigrant workforce, the mutual benefits of the Workforce Training Fund are crystal clear,” Green said. “Businesses need employees who can communicate with customers, patients and vendors, and who can grow in their jobs. Employees need businesses that will invest in their skills. English is the foundation and it’s everybody’s necessity.”

Hampton Inn and Suites Crosstown Center, which was awarded a Workforce Training Fund grant in 2013, hosted the morning event.  The grant provided funding for customer service and hospitality management training, which is still ongoing.  

Immediately following the announcement, area businesses participated in an information session on the Workforce Training Fund program to learn more about on-going grant opportunities. The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, and its partner organizations, hope to encourage businesses to address workforce training needs - including English language skills – through the Workforce Training Fund. The Workforce Training Fund awards over $1 million each month, on a rolling basis throughout the year.  Interested parties are encouraged to visit www.commcorp.org/wtfp to learn more.

The following is a complete list of the awarded Workforce Training Fund General Program grant recipients announced today (listed by community):

City	Company Name	Amount Awarded	Projected Number of Employees to be Trained	New Jobs Expected to be Created
ABINGTON	ABINGTON BANK	$30,000	26	2
ABINGTON	SCHUREMED	$39,400	15	3
ABINGTON	WALSH MECHANICAL CONTRACTORS	$185,145	56	3
AGAWAM	BRIDGEPORT NATIONAL BINDERY	$122,200	100	3
ALLSTON	ALLSTON POWER, LLC	$60,000	15	2
ARLINGTON	LEADER BANK, N.A.	$137,156	187	2
ASHFIELD	DOUBLE EDGE THEATRE PRODUCTIONS, INC.	$24,920	8	1
AUBURN	WEBSTER 5 CENTS SAVINGS BANK	$137,375	155	7
AVON	BOSTON BRACE INTERNATIONAL, INC	$50,600	63	10
BEVERLY	BEVERLY BANK	$150,000	74	2
BEVERLY	COMMUNICATIONS AND POWER INDUSTRIES	$246,000	187	15
BILLERICA	AS&E	$110,200	135	9
BILLERICA	INSULET CORPORATION	$167,680	88	5
BOSTON	CBI CONSULTING, INC.	$37,800	24	2
BOSTON	CONSOLIDATED STERILIZER SYSTEMS	$41,140	37	3
BOSTON	MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY ACTION (THIS IS A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT AWARDED TO A CONSORTIUM WHICH ALSO INCLUDES: GREATER LAWRENCE COMMUNITY ACTION COUNCIL OF LAWRENCE; SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY ACTION COUNCIL OF PLYMOUTH; LYNN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL OF LYNN; SPRINGFIELD PARTNERS FOR COMMUNITY ACTION OF SPRINGFIELD; AND COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY OF SOMERVILLE)	$25,000	n/a	n/a
BOSTON	MASSACHUSETTS BANKERS ASSOCIATON (THIS IS A CONSORTIUM GRANT WHICH INCLUDES: BAYCOAST BANK OF SWANSEA; WEBSTER 5 SAVINGS BANK OF AUBURN; STONEHAM BANK OF STONEHAM; MECHANICS COOPERATIVE BANK OF FALL RIVER; AND CHICOPEE SAVINGS BANK OF CHICOPEE)	$236,100	193	4
BRAINTREE	VETERANS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, INC.	$49,760	21	5
BROCKTON	CUSHMAN INSURANCE, INC.	$22,700	23	0
BROCKTON	SPENCE & CO. LTD. INC.	$53,000	37	2
BROOKLINE	PARIS CREPERIE	$31,000	23	0
BURLINGTON	AVID TECHNOLOGIES, INC.	$205,950	84	3
BURLINGTON	H MART BOSTON LLC	$176,000	46	5
BURLINGTON	IBASIS INC.	$64,950	76	5
CAMBRIDGE	MASS. EYE RESEARCH AND SURGERY INSTITUTION	$81,575	17	2
CAMBRIDGE	THOMAS G. GALLAGHER, INC.	$86,400	70	5
CHELMSFORD	QVIDIAN CORPORATION	$110,260	44	5
CHICOPEE	MECHANICAL DRIVE COMPONENTS, INC.	$27,905	9	1
CHICOPEE	POLISH NATIONAL CREDIT UNION	$139,100	87	1
CLINTON	STERLING PRECISION, INC	$37,200	22	3
EAST LONGMEADOW	PREMIER  SOURCE CREDIT UNION	$34,160	23	1
EASTHAM	CAPE ASSOCIATES, INC.	$143,013	121	10
FRAMINGHAM	BOSE CORPORATION	$249,999	720	50
FRANKLIN	PIERCE ALUMINUM	$185,930	62	2
GARDNER	GAAMHA, INC.