WORCESTER—Worcester Public Schools and Quinsigamond Community College are getting more than $325,000 as part of nearly $3 million in adult education and workforce training grants announced last week by the Healey-Driscoll administration.
The funding is part of $2.86 million awarded statewide to 24 schools and community organizations, supporting programs that help more than 600 adult learners gain English skills, earn high school or industry-recognized credentials, and train for in-demand jobs.
Locally, Worcester Public Schools receive just shy of $87K, while Quinsigamond Community College welcomes $239,587 in funding. The grants support MassSTEP programs, which combine adult education, workforce preparation, and occupational training in fields such as health care, advanced manufacturing, and information technology.
“By offering high quality adult education instruction simultaneously with rigorous occupational skills training, we’re helping more students be ready to gain employment in occupations that pay family-sustaining wages,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement.
Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said the grants “tie education and workforce together in support of families’ economic mobility and reflect current in-demand jobs.”
State officials said the programs are often marketed to parents of K-12 students, allowing adults to pursue a high school credential, English language instruction, or industry certifications while supporting their families.
“These grants will help hundreds of Massachusetts residents strengthen their English skills, gain confidence, and open doors to good jobs in high demand industries,” said Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler.
Local impact
Jennifer Brunelle, director of the Worcester Adult Learning Center, told the Worcester Guardian the grant helps with continued support to the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training program for English learners. The 10-week, four-night-a-week program at Worcester Technical High School is offered free of charge.
“We are funded to train 20 ESOL students,” Brunelle said. “This contextualized curriculum ensures that students are gaining the language skills needed to succeed in the CNA certificate program and in the workforce.”
She noted that the program has produced strong results: 91 percent of students passed the state certification exam last year, and graduates are now working at Worcester Public Schools, UMass Memorial, Seven Hills Foundation, nursing homes, group homes, and home health agencies.
Quinsigamond Community College President Luis G. Pedraja called the funding “a game-changer for our region and the students we serve.”
“By combining technical training with workplace English instruction,” he said, “we’re helping multilingual residents gain the skills they need to secure stable, local healthcare jobs, which will help strengthen Worcester’s workforce and its economic growth.”
Kathie Manning, dean of QCC’s Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education, said the college expands its Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (IBEST) program. Unlike traditional workforce training, IBEST blends English instruction directly into technical coursework, allowing students to advance faster and remove barriers.
The program currently prepares students for roles such as medical assistants and nurse assistants, but Manning said new funding will allow QCC to expand into patient care technicians and other allied health specialties. “What makes IBEST unique is that it doesn’t just prepare students for an entry-level job—it creates stackable pathways,” she said.
One graduate of QCC’s Certified Clinical Medical Assistant program said the experience transformed her career. A single mother and physician in her home country, she trained at QCC while applying for a U.S. residency match. “Joining QCC for the CCMA program was the best decision I made,” she said, adding that the program led to work at UMass Memorial, financial independence, and the ability to train newly hired employees.
The Worcester grants are part of the administration’s broader push to expand English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) services and reduce waitlists. State leaders have also secured $10 million to expand workforce training access for up to 3,500 residents.
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