Page 32 - BusinessWest August 18, 2025

Career Minded
State Awards $24.2 Million to Expand Training Opportunities
“With some of
the best public
career technical
education schools
in the country and
strong employer
partnerships,
Massachusetts
is positioned
to prepare our
residents for
rewarding, lifelong
careers.”
Last week, the Healey-Driscoll administration award-
ed $24.2 million in Career Technical Initiative
(CTI) implementation grants to 23 school districts
to train 2,490 individuals for careers in high-demand
occupations within the trades, construction, and manu-
facturing sectors across Massachusetts.
The CTI grant program partners with career and
technical education schools to provide adult learners,
especially unemployed and underemployed individuals
from underserved populations and underrepresented
groups, with career training and technical skills to
meet the needs of Massachusetts employers.
Since 2023, the administration, in partnership with
Commonwealth Corp., has awarded $53 million in CTI
grants, projected to train more than 6,090 unemployed
and underemployed individuals. Last week’s announce-
ment launches the 10th cohort of CTI grants. Among
nine awarded cohorts to date, roughly 4,400 total par-
ticipants have received training, 3,150 participants have
completed training, 3,100 have earned industry-recog-
nized credentials, and 2,360 have secured employment.
“The CTI program opens doors for adult learners by
providing the hands-on training they need to step into
high-demand careers in construction, the trades, and
manufacturing,” Gov. Maura Healey said. “With some
of the best public career technical education schools
in the country and strong employer partnerships, Mas-
sachusetts is positioned to prepare our residents for
rewarding, lifelong careers.”
Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll added that “these awards are
a key part of our agenda to build a job-ready workforce
for today and the future. By tapping into our world-class
education system and investing in targeted job training,
we’re growing the talent pipeline that employers across
Massachusetts depend on to compete and thrive.”
The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Devel-
opment (EOLWD) oversees the CTI program, which is
administered by Commonwealth Corp., a quasi-public
agency of EOLWD. In partnership with the Executive
Office of Education, CTI aims to transforms career and
technical education schools across the state to become
‘career technical institutes’ that run three shifts a day
for skill-building programs in the trades, construction,
and manufacturing career pathways. The latest $24.2
million awarded focuses on job training for adult learn-
ers participating in the evening hours, or third shift.
“By leveraging available resources at career and
technical education schools across Massachusetts, we
are opening more opportunities to help train and pre-
pare untapped talent for current workforce demands,”
Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lau-
ren Jones said. “This program is a great example of the
collaborative efforts needed to build our workforce. We
appreciate the partnership with career and technical
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