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Tech Foundry Opens Applications for Two Workforce Training Programs

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Tech Foundry, the regional leader in IT training, announced it now offers two workforce development programs for Western Mass. residents. Applications for both programs are open on the organization’s website.

Interested people can apply for the upcoming cohort of Tech Foundry’s IT workforce training program, now called Tech Launch, which prepares students for careers as help desk specialists, network and field technicians, and other tech-related roles.

In addition, Tech Foundry is also recruiting for its new Tech Bridge program, a college readiness and tech career training program for recent graduates of Holyoke, Chicopee, and Springfield public schools. Tech Bridge prepares students for career paths in information technology, audio-visual and low-voltage electrical work, as well as for full-time college — or both.

Tech Foundry’s award-winning IT support training program, recently renamed Tech Launch, includes 14 weeks of classroom instruction followed by a four-week internship that empowers individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the tech industry.

Tech Launch’s spring 2026 cohort will undergo intensive training in various areas of technology, including Windows administration, hardware troubleshooting, and endpoint security. Through a comprehensive curriculum and hands-on projects, student members will gain valuable expertise and practical experience to thrive in today’s fast-paced tech landscape. With a focus on real-world skills and industry relevance, graduates of the program are well-equipped to meet the demands of today’s competitive job market.

In addition to technical instruction, Tech Foundry’s Tech Launch provides student members with career readiness workshops, career coaching sessions, and access to a vast network of industry professionals and employer partners. The program ensures that graduates not only have the technical skills, but also the soft skills and professional connections needed to excel in their IT careers. The spring 2026 Tech Launch cohort will run from Feb. 19, 2026 through June 12, 2026.

Tech Bridge will serve recent graduates of Springfield area high schools who are not immediately enrolling in college. The program will focus on students and recent high school graduates who are in good standing with their high schools and demonstrate strong interest and readiness for career-connected learning.

Many of the Tech Bridge enrollees will be first-generation students who are interested in exploring tech careers and well as college opportunities. By focusing on this overlooked postsecondary population, Tech Bridge aims to bridge the gap between high school and either full-time college or sustainable, skill-based employment in sectors such as low-voltage systems, IT, and advanced manufacturing. Tech Bridge students will have opportunities for hands-on work experience, certifications, college preparation, and supported job placement.

Tech Bridge applicants are being reviewed on a rolling basis for admission in May 2026. Tech Bridge’s first day of classes will be Sept. 7, 2026, with orientation activities occurring in August.

Both Tech Launch and Tech Bridge students receive technical certifications as well as college credits at both UMass Amherst’s University Without Walls program and Holyoke Community College.

To apply to Tech Launch and/or Tech Bridge, visit thetechfoundry.org/the-program/apply-now and complete an application. The deadline to apply for the Tech Launch program is Dec. 29.

Tech Foundry Announces Hirings of Keshia Maxwell, Noella Moshi

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Tech Foundry, the regional leader in IT workforce development, training, and digital literacy, announced the hiring of two new staff members, Keshia Maxwell and Noella Moshi.

Keshia Maxwell

Maxwell is serving as director of Tech Foundry’s new Tech Bridge program. She will develop and implement all facets of the project, including management of staff, daily operations, program design, and activities.

Tech Bridge will serve recent graduates from the Springfield, Holyoke and Chicopee public high schools who are not immediately enrolling in college. This scholarship-based program focuses on tech training, professional development, work experience, college exploration, and team-building, to bridge the gap between high school and future pathways. The Tech Bridge curriculum will prepare participants for sustainable, skill-based employment in sectors such as low-voltage systems, IT, and advanced manufacturing; enrollment in college; or both.

Maxwell brings nearly 10 years of experience as an educator, including several years as an elementary school math teacher. She is passionate about education and finds joy in helping students realize their true potential. She also brings 14 years of military service, including international humanitarian program management in Dakar, Senegal, where she served as a U.S. Army Bilateral Affairs officer. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Japanese language/literature and English from UMass Amherst, and a master’s degree in education from Springfield College.

Noella Moshi

Moshi was hired as Tech Foundry’s new director of Engagement. She will spearhead new donor development in addition to amplifying donor, funder, and partner engagement. She has a professional background in strategy and program design. Born in Tanzania and having lived in eight countries, she brings a global perspective to her career in workforce development, including roles as an executive director and head of programs across multiple countries.

Moshi holds a master’s degree in clinical science and immunology from the University of Cape Town and has completed a course in exponential fundraising at the Harvard Kennedy School. She speaks English and Swahili and serves on several boards she cares deeply about, including West Africa Vocational Education and the Livelihood Impact Fund.

“We are thrilled to have Keshia and Noella join the Tech Foundry team,” said Tricia Canavan, CEO of Tech Foundry. “They both bring an incredibly diverse set of work and life experiences to our organization, which will further enhance our programs and community impact.”