BCC Now Admitting Students into Respiratory Care Program

08:05AM / Friday, March 10, 2023Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) is now accepting applications for the fall semester for its Respiratory Care program.

The program is part of a workforce development pipeline at Berkshire Health Systems (BHS), otherwise known as the "talent pipeline," which is designed to create a direct career path from education and training to full-time employment at BHS.

The largest employer in the Berkshires, BHS covers the cost of all training in its pipeline programs and also offers trainees full-time pay with benefits while they are completing their training.

"In as little as two years, students can earn an associate degree in respiratory therapy at BCC, then complete their training at BHS, where respiratory therapists are in demand," said Lori Moon, BCC Dean of Nursing. "It's a fantastic partnership that benefits both BCC students and the growing healthcare workforce in the Berkshires."

Respiratory care practitioners help treat patients with a wide range of cardiopulmonary illnesses, including asthma or heart failure. Respiratory care includes diagnostic testing and administering oxygen, various other gases and aerosol drugs.

BCC's two-year Respiratory Care program, a sequence of lecture, laboratory and clinical courses, prepares students to become Certified Respiratory Therapists (CRTs) and Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRTs). The program combines coursework and hands-on training, emphasizing the rigorous technical and academic competencies required of a respiratory therapist. Students who complete the program are eligible to take the National Board for Respiratory Care examination.

Graduates of the program are employed in diverse areas of healthcare, holding positions such as neonatal/pediatric specialists, adult critical care specialists, pulmonary rehabilitation specialists, critical care transport therapists, home-care therapists, clinical educators and many more. The projected average salary of respiratory therapists working in the United States is more than $73,000 per year. In Massachusetts, respiratory therapists earn a median wage of $73,000 to $87,000.

The Respiratory Care program at BCC is accredited by The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).? For more information, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/respiratory-care.

Tags: BCC, BHS, BMC,

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Friday Front Porch Feature: Luxury on Pontoosuc Lake

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
05:25PM / Friday, August 21, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Are you looking for a private estate right on the lake? Then this might be the home for you.

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 140 Hancock Road.

This house was built in 2015 and has eight bedrooms and seven bathrooms. It is 7,494 square feet on a little over an acre.

The house sits on Pontoosuc Lake and includes private lake access and a heated pool with an expansive deck.

The kitchen is equipped with Wolf and SubZero appliances and there is a full outdoor kitchen as well. The property has three additional separated living quarters, each with a kitchen and its own living room.

The house also includes a big garage for multiple cars or more. Included in the garage is your very own elevator that leads to the in-law apartment.

It is on the market for $3,900,000.

We spoke with listing agent Katie Soules and Jeff Astore from William Raveis

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

What truly makes this property stand out is that you simply don't find this combination very often in the Berkshires. It's an extraordinary lakefront setting, incredible scale, and a lifestyle that's hard to replicate. You have the lake, the mountain views, the pool, the dock, amazing entertaining spaces, and the flexibility to accommodate family, friends, and guests. It feels less like simply owning a beautiful home and more like owning your own private Berkshire retreat.

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?

I'd tell them to stop thinking of it as just a house and imagine what life here could actually feel like. Mornings on the lake, afternoons on the water or by the pool, evenings entertaining friends and family with the mountains as your backdrop. This is a place where everyday life can feel like a vacation and where you can create the kind of memories that stay with you for years.

How would you describe the feel or atmosphere of the home?

The home has a really special feel, elegant and impressive, but at the same time warm, relaxed, and incredibly inviting. There's a natural connection to the lake and the outdoors throughout the home, so it never feels like luxury for the sake of luxury. It feels like a place designed to be lived in, enjoyed, and shared with family, friends, and plenty of unforgettable moments.

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