Driscoll Sees Renovations and Career Tracks at BCC
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll swung by Berkshire Community College on Wednesday for a tour of its educational facilities after making grant announcements in Stockbridge.
President Ellen Kennedy led Driscoll through the college's One Stop Center for student services, the Berkshire Science Commons maker space, BCC's nursing labs, and renovations to the Hawthorne and Melville halls.
They were joined by Mayor Linda Tyer and state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier.
"We're really trying to open doors. You can see a wide range of students here from folks who just graduated from high school who may have been part of an early college program to older adults who are trying to make their way to maybe a different career or upscale of what they have currently for their skill set," Driscoll said.
"And I think that's the answer we see is opening doors for Massachusetts so excited to see the physical improvements underway but even more excited to see the range of students who are investing in a brighter future for them and that, in turn, will be a brighter future for Massachusetts."
Kennedy also highlighted the college's robust solar panel system and the college's turf field that is used by students, athletic teams, and community organizations.
"We are the community's living room and that's how we see ourselves," she said.
Last year, the community college received a $350,000 grant through Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) from the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education to update its simulated medical lab.
The funds went toward two new maternity mom and newborn models, two more 5-year-old models, wound-care kits with accompanying software, an electronic medical record program, an Omnicell medication dispenser, and crash carts.
The models have upgraded technology from current ones to provide the students with a more realistic experience.
"We know that Massachusetts is a state that can be a high-cost state in terms of living here so any opportunity we have to support individuals gaining a skill set that we know can pay them a living wage, put them in a position to not only address workforce shortages but also provide better for their family, that's a real win-win," Driscoll said after seeing the lab.
She highlighted the importance of the MassReconnect program that allows residents 25 years or older to earn an associate's degree or certificate for free at any of the state's 15 public community colleges.
"Free community college is really about an investment in Massachusett's future in our economy," Driscoll said.
She reported that there has been "incredible interest" in the program already, with Bunker Hill Community College in Boston seeing more than 450 applicants in the first 10 days.
"We know that there is interest. Now we need to make sure we're driving the type of interest in terms of the workforce needs that we have," Driscoll explained.
"I think we're going to learn a lot throughout this very first semester even and hopefully improve from there."
The lieutenant governor recognized that workforce needs vary by region.
"The good thing is with community colleges, there are different regions. I would say statewide, we know healthcare is a real need throughout the state but there may be particular regional needs, whether it's advanced manufacturing, we know we're trying to take on this climate crisis, we're going have a lot of focus in clean tech. We just saw solar panels on the roof here," she said.
"We know there are other industries like that that are still emerging but we need a workforce and a talent pipeline to meet that so we'll be regionally based and I think our community colleges are on the ground. They know what the needs are here. They work closely with career centers and workforce boards so we can make sure we're being strategic about the things we invest in."
The college's main entrance is currently fenced off while it is updated from the original 1970s layout to be accessible for all students and staff.
"We are finally going to be accessible. This is the first community college in Massachusetts. We opened in 1960. We opened on this campus in 1972 and at that time, ADA, the American Disabilities Act was not yet in play so our campus was not very accessible and our quad area, our main entrance, was not accessible at all," Kennedy explained.
"So they are renovating all of that as part of critical infrastructure, replacing sewer, water, and electric lines all across the campus, and then all of our windows in the last two buildings are being replaced as part of that and our library is going to have a new HVAC. Most of the campus has not been air-conditioned and this will finally introduce some air conditioning and will provide a better working space and a better study space and a better space for our students."
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