Labor unions also have applied for grants from the fund. The grant would pay for a study of what high-tech training union leaders in Franklin and Hampshire counties think their members should have to keep abreast of rapidly changing technology. It is important that workers be involved with management early on in setting up training programs if these programs are to be successful, according to Carney and other union leaders. They are worried about a trend of employers looking outside their workforce, often outside the country, for workers with advanced skills. We want to make sure labor is not left behind.
Subject areas range from software development to network maintenance.
Some of the classes lead to certificates that can serve students as tickets to jobs. The curriculum initiative is designed also to allow students to advance in their studies smoothly from high school to community college to four-year academic institutions. Several Franklin County businesses are participants in the project. This is to ensure that no student graduates without an acquaintance with how information technology affects almost every aspect of commerce and culture, she said. Numerous companies, UMass, several area colleges, and several agencies, including the one-stop career centers and the Massachusetts Career Development Institute in Springfield, are involved.