COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
MASSACHUSETTS SENATE
STATE HOUSE, BOSTON 02133-1053
Senator Joan B. Lovely
State Senator
2nd Essex District
Phone: (617) 722-1410
Email: joan.lovely@masenate.gov
PRESS RELEASE:
Friday, July 19, 2013
NORTH SHORE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD RECEIVES STATE FUNDING TO BEGIN NEW SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM
(Boston) Today Senator Joan Lovely and Representative John Keenan announced that the Patrick Administration has awarded $500,000 to the North Shore Workforce Investment Board (WIB) to enhance the skills of job seekers and employed workers in the manufacturing industry. The WIB will use these funds to allow 70 adults to enroll in community college courses across the North Shore. The coursework for trainees will include a math refresher, lessons with Microsoft computer systems, and other topics in manufacturing fundamentals.
“We are very excited about the potential for manufacturers in the Northeastern part of Massachusetts to create new avenues of workforce development that will allow them to find quality, well-trained employees to fill their job opening. This grant will allow four Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) in the Northeast region, three area Community Colleges, several Vocational Technical High Schools, and multiple one-stop career centers (including the North Shore Career Center) to work together to sustain this effort long-term. The individuals who are placed in manufacturing jobs through this effort will begin a career in a very high- skilled and high-paying industry that is economically important to the region”, said Mary Sarris, Executive Director of North Shore WIB.
“I’m thrilled that the North Shore WIB has been awarded this grant,” said Representative John Keenan (D—Salem). “As we continue to recover from this economic recession, it is vital to focus our efforts on resources like the WIB to foster economic development. I am grateful to the Administration for this investment and look forward to the positive impacts it will surely provide.”
“We’re seeing a quickly-evolving job market and workers in my district have to be able to make the adjustments they need to—the health of our regional economy depends on it,” said Senator Lovely. “The North Shore Workforce Investment Board is a great resource for those seeking to improve their skills, so it’s a huge success that the WIB is receiving these additional funds.”
The WIB is comprised of over 40 leaders from the North Shore who have binding authority to implement publicly-funded workforce initiatives. The WIB’s annual budget is between $6-$8 million, 65% of which is funded by the federal government and 35% of which is funded by the state of Massachusetts. Headquartered in Salem, the WIB’s region of activity covers Senator Lovely’s entire district of Beverly, Danvers, Peabody, Salem and Topsfield.
Applicants interested in participating in the training program should contact Mary Sarris of the WIB at 978-741-3805.
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