MCC Selected for Pilot Program to Train Educators for Workforce

A leader of educating today’s workforce, Middlesex Community College was selected by The Cares Institute (TCI) – a nonprofit organization working to enhance the U.S. childhood education system – to participate in the Boston Childcare Workforce Pipeline Pilot program. At Middlesex, students receive academic and job training that will guide them toward successful futures, including a stable income and employment.

“Middlesex is the first college in the region to be selected by TCI to launch this important initiative,” said Ellen Grondine, MCC’s Dean of Education & K-16 Partnerships. “MCC will serve as an important partner in developing a collaborative workforce model aimed at supporting teachers, families and employers.”

To provide students with opportunities that extend beyond the classroom, Middlesex partners with local businesses, organizations and institutions. As there is a demand for early childhood educators, participating in the pilot program supports the regional economy and places people directly into jobs, according to Grondine.

As part of the pilot program, MCC is working with TCI to strengthen the early childhood workforce. Using coursework from the college’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) program, Middlesex will provide training to cohorts of educators local to the Lowell area.

In order for TCI to develop infrastructure, systems and policies that best support workers, MCC will provide them with access to trainings, support and professional opportunities that will help them earn necessary certifications, according to Nancy Pynchon, MCC’s Assistant Director of ECE Career Pathways.

While workers are completing coursework, they will also participate in practical experiences in the classroom, receive mentoring from professionals, and be matched to jobs that guarantee full-time employment at the end of the program.

“Together in partnership with TCI, Middlesex hopes to increase the number of new employees in the pilot programs,” Pynchon said. “MCC will provide the educational resources for retention of both new and existing staff, while identifying and addressing the critical need for employees in childcare programs.”

The Education pathway at MCC helps students go into – and succeed in – the workforce or transfer to four-year schools with its award-winning and affordable offerings, small class sizes and flexible schedules. For more information, visit https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/education/ to discover your path at Middlesex.

Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/registration/ or call 1-800-818-3434 for more information and to register for the Fall 2021 semester at Middlesex.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in education for more than 50 years. Middlesex puts the student first. Meeting each learner where they are, MCC provides them with a safe, welcoming and engaging place to learn. Offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses – Middlesex features flexible course formats and a variety of award-winning student support services and resources. Student success starts at MCC!