Somerville High School and Community Corp. Partner Develop Manufacturing Training Program

The city of Somerville announced that Somerville High School’s Center for Career and Technical Education (CTE) and the Somerville Community Corporation have partnered to develop the Advanced Manufacturing Training Program(AMTP).

According to a city press release, AMTP will work to train students of the ages of 18 to 24 for a career in the manufacturing industry. The program will be funded by a grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Housing Economic Development.

According to the release, the manufacturing industry is becoming increasingly important to the state’s economy:

“According to the Metro North Regional Employment Board, a public-private initiative serving 20 communities north of Boston, advanced manufacturing is becoming more and more important to the economy of Massachusetts. Many employers are reporting needs for skilled CNC machinists and machine operators, with 20% of companies expecting to grow in the next decade. These are high paying jobs, with wages averaging around $75,000. With more than a fifth of manufacturing employees in the State over the age 55, preparing a new generation of workers for these jobs has the potential of paying off for decades, not only for growing companies who are able to retain a skilled workforce, but for Somerville families who are able to make middle class wages.”

The program will offer a full-time, 500-hour course and a part-time, 150-hour course. The courses will run from mid-January until June and will be piloted with 25 students. Both adults and high school students will work alongside each other in the full-time program and the full-time program will offer MACWIC and OSHA certifications.

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