Baker-Polito Administration award Diman over $450,000 in grants

The Baker-Polito Administration today awarded $10.9 million in Skills Capital Grants to 33 high schools and educational institutions, enabling the schools to acquire the newest technologies to educate students and expand programs. The awards were announced as part of Governor Charlie Baker’s visit to Salem High School with Mayor Kim Driscoll. With today’s announcement, the Baker-Polito Administration has awarded more than $48 million to 157 different programs over the past three years.

Skills Capital Grants are designed to help high schools, colleges and other educational institutions invest in the most up-to-date training equipment to give their students an advantage when they continue in their chosen field or particular area of study. Skills Capital Grants cover a broad array of fields, from construction and engineering to healthcare and hospitality.

“The equipment purchased by high schools and colleges over the past three years through Skills Capital Grants has directly impacted the educational experience for thousands of Massachusetts students to better prepare them for the workforce,” Governor Charlie Baker said. “This program has had a positive impact on students in the Commonwealth and we look forward to working with the Legislature to include $75 million worth of funding for Skills Capital Grants as part of the Economic Development bill we filed in the spring.”

“By giving our students the opportunity to learn on the newest technologies, we are ensuring they will be better prepared to succeed when they graduate from high school,” Lt. Governor Karyn Polito said. “We look forward to continuing our work with these 33 high schools and previous awardees to enhance their programs and develop a skilled workforce ready to meet the needs of the Commonwealth.”

The competitive grants are awarded to educational institutions that demonstrate partnerships with local businesses, as well as align curriculum and credentials with industry demand, in order to maximize hiring opportunities in each region of the state.

“Schools that receive these competitive grants are giving their students a head start by creating relationships with local employers who provide input and expertise about the skills and knowledge they will need to be successful in the future,” Education Secretary James Peyser said.

“Massachusetts’ continued low unemployment rates, coupled with job and labor force gains, has also created a tight labor market in which more and more employers are finding it difficult to recruit workers with the skills necessary to fuel their growth needs,” said Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta. “The Workforce Skills Capital grant program has had great success in closing those skills gaps and ensuring that the next generation of workers in the Commonwealth has the training necessary to access our high demand job sectors.”

“Massachusetts is a national leader in life sciences, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing sectors,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. “These grants will help ensure a strong pipeline of talented workers throughout the Commonwealth to support these key industries. A skilled workforce is essential for Massachusetts to have an edge in attracting employers in these sectors to locate and expand here, and for adding great jobs now, and in the future.”

Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School: $476,589 – The high school will expand its advanced manufacturing training to offer courses to students at neighboring Bristol Community College, as well as unemployed and underemployed adults across Bristol County. New equipment will expand the capacity of the advanced manufacturing program to include additive manufacturing, rapid prototyping and computer numerically controlled (CNC) digital machining coursework, which will be available to high school students during the day, BCC students in the afternoons, and adult learners in the evening.