BOSTON — State Sen. Adam Gomez recently joined the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) in announcing grant awards of $275,000 for the Hampden County Workforce Board and $128,239 for the MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board.

“Whether for trades, tech, healthcare, or finance, apprenticeships give people the opportunity to earn money while learning highly specialized skills,” Gomez said. “Although some apprenticeships can offer course credits for college, a higher education is not necessarily the path to success for everyone, so I am pleased to see these apprenticeship programs will serve as a viable alternative for Hampden County residents seeking jobs.”

These apprenticeship expansion and opportunity grants will support various healthcare apprenticeships in Western Mass., serving 55 apprentices for the Hampden County Workforce Board and covering operating costs for existing grants and 10 additional healthcare apprentices for the MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board. As part of EOLWD, the Division of Apprentice Standards administers this initiative to expand registered apprenticeships to priority industries, diversify the existing apprenticeship workforce, and enhance apprenticeship programs in Massachusetts as part of the Commonwealth’s apprenticeship expansion plan.

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration announced $800,000 in workplace-safety grants awarded to 99 Massachusetts-based and operating employers, which will help prevent workplace injuries by training 1,356 employees.

On behalf of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, the Department of Industrial Accidents Office of Safety is responsible for administering and managing the workplace-safety grant program, budgeted at $800,000 annually. The program’s goal is to promote safe and healthy conditions in the workplace through training, education, and other preventive instruction for employees and employers, as well as organizations operating within the Commonwealth and covered by Massachusetts workers’ compensation law.

This latest round of workplace-safety grants (FY 2023) includes awardees representing historically underserved communities, veterans, women-owned businesses, municipalities, small businesses, and startups. The most common topics from the proposals included compliance, such as OSHA 10-hour and 30-hour training; and prevention-based training, such as defensive driving, hoisting, first aid and CPR, and ergonomics. Click here to see the full list of 99 grant recipients.

“Keeping the Commonwealth’s workforce safe is important to both employees and employers as well as the greater community,” said Rosalin Acosta, secretary of Labor and Workforce Development. “These safety grants will provide training and education that helps promote safe and healthy conditions in the workplace. I congratulate all awardees and appreciate their commitment to their employees’ well-being.”

BOSTON — The state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development’s Department of Industrial Accidents (DIA) is now accepting Workplace Safety and Education Grant submissions. Applications are due Friday, Sept. 30.

Training programs that have been funded in the past often include OHSA 10 or 30, aerial lift, fall protection, crane and rigger, forklift, ergonomics, CPR/AED, injury prevention, fire/electrical, asbestos, defensive and winter driving, lead hazards, toxins and hazards communication, trenching excavation, confined space rescue, and more. Applicants are also encouraged to develop new training specific to the needs of their workforce.

“Safety Grants represent an $800,000 annual investment in the safety of the Commonwealth’s workforce,” Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta said. “I encourage companies to take advantage of this opportunity to provide their employees with the knowledge they need to help create a healthier and safer workplace.”

DIA’s Office of Safety is responsible for administering and managing the Workplace Safety Training and Education Grant program. The goal of the program is to promote safe and healthy conditions in the workplace through training, education, and other preventive programs for employees and employers, as well as organizations operating within the Commonwealth and covered by Massachusetts workers’ compensation law.

To date, DIA has funded hundreds of programs that have benefited and educated thousands of workers and employers throughout the Commonwealth. A total of $800,000 is budgeted annually for the Workplace Safety and Education Grant program.

Grants are awarded to qualified applicants through a competitive selection process. Applications can be submitted to DIA’s Office of Safety seeking up to a maximum of $25,000 per entity, per fiscal year. Interested employers can email [email protected] to receive an application package. Visit mass.gov/dia to learn more.