If you haven’t heard about the Aviation Program at the Westfield Voke yet, this is really some exciting news. The newly named Westfield Technical Academy (Westfield Vocational Technical High School) has made significant strides in the creation of the Aviation Program that will train students in all things aviation technology. With a $200,000 grant from Gulfstream and $1 million in state funds, this program is scheduled to open its doors to the first class this fall.
The Aviation Program will partner students with local businesses in the aviation industry such as Gulfstream. It’s a partnership that will lead to long term employment opportunities for the students completing this program, and is one of the first of its kind in the country. The program will create and support a mutually beneficial relationship between the industry and the school. It has become more prevalent that there are many job opportunities in this industry, but the fact of the matter is that there are not enough people who are trained to fill these positions. If you are interested in learning more about this Aviation Program, or about the other shops at the Westfield Technical Academy, this month’s “It’s your city” does a great job diving into the work these incredible students are doing.
The creation of partnerships like the Aviation Program make Westfield an incredibly attractive community to invest in on a state level, especially at a time when the state is looking to develop more workforce development programs. The program this city will be debuting is a common sense solution to the unemployment rate- a figure that is higher here than in Eastern Mass. Rather than wait for the Governor to develop a strategy to cut down on the unemployment rate, Westfield has taken action to invest in itself.
Keeping to the subject of workforce development, there are a lot of great programs in Western Mass that link people up with businesses. I spent Friday morning with my colleagues at a roundtable discussion hosted by CareerPoint in Holyoke. CareerPoint is a non-profit that helps people enter training and employment programs. I also had the honor of saying a few words at the announcement of the Regional Employment Board’s Summer Job Program. The Regional Employment Board is an excellent resource, and the Summer Job Program they offer each year helps connect teens and young adults with employment opportunities. I know the jobs I had as a teen helped develop my work ethic, and I strongly believe that it is important to begin working at a young age.
I talk more about workforce development in this week’s segment of “The State We’re In” on WGBY Channel 57. I want to thank Jim Madigan and the entire team for having me on the show again. As always, if you have any questions, issues, or concerns, feel free to contact me at [email protected] or my aide Neesha at [email protected]. Have a great weekend!
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of this publication.
