Page 53 - BusinessWest September 14 2020

Gap-semester Course on
Social-justice Issues
Sept. 21 to Dec. 21: Bay Path University has put together a unique course for recent high-school graduates looking to explore ways they can impact movements for social justice. The course, “Explor- ing Pathways to Social Justice,” will combine lec- tures, discussions, videos, readings, and virtual, experiential learning through the context of history, legal studies, and communications. In addition, the students will participate in presentations by profes- sionals who have channeled their visions for a more just world into careers advocating for social justice and leading their communities. The three-credit course runs from Sept. 21 to Dec. 21 and is open to recent high-school graduates and college students, whether enrolled at Bay Path University; its online program, the American Women’s College; or any other institution, as well as students who are tak-
ing a gap semester while they evaluate their college options. Registration runs until Sept. 16. The class
is a collaboration between several faculty members and will explore social-justice movements, trace the historical roots of the civil-rights struggle, investigate how race factors into the contemporary criminal justice system, and consider strategies for change. Students will be challenged to apply their passion for social justice while learning to express them- selves and developing practical skills for academic and professional settings. Through the course mate- rial and ongoing opportunities for conversation, they will connect with other students and become part of an inspired, motivated network. “We cre- ated this class for students who may be using this time away from their schools to contemplate how and where to channel their voice and their passion for social justice, as they begin to think about their long-term goals, personally and professionally,” said Gwen Jordan, director of Bay Path’s Justice and Legal Studies department. She will be teaching sections on the criminal justice system, including a focus on the movement devoted to exonerating the wrongly convicted and reforming the system. Additional course information and a registration link are avail- able at www.baypath.edu/academics/undergraduate- programs/the-american-womens-college-online/ academics/gap-semester-course.
‘HiSET to Medical Sciences’
Sept. 23: Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) is offering a course that helps students get
their high-school equivalency diploma while intro- ducing them to the field of medical science. Offered through the Springfield Adult Learning Center at STCC, the class, called “HiSET to Medical Sciences,” prepares students for the high-school equivalency test (HiSET) while teaching them medical terminol- ogy. The class will be offered in three sessions this year, the first beginning Wednesday, Sept. 23. STCC offers an associate degree in health science, which provides the opportunity to explore specialty areas for a career in healthcare, as well as a number of spe- cialized health programs, such as diagnostic medical sonography, dental hygiene, and nursing. The class, which is free for eligible students, will be taught online. To apply or for more information, visit stcc. edu/explore/communityed/adult-learning. For ques- tions, e-mail [email protected] or call (413) 755-4300.
Difference Makers
Sept. 24: BusinessWest’s celebration of the Difference Makers class of 2020, rescheduled from March, will be a hybrid event, with the honorees and sponsors gathered at the Upper Vista at the Log Cabin Ban- quet & Meeting House in Holyoke, and other guests taking in the proceedings virtually. The class of 2020 includes: Christopher (Monte) Belmonte, DJ at WRSI the River Radio and creator of Monte’s March; Ira Bryck, consultant and former executive director of the Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley; Sandy Cassanelli, CEO of Greeno Supply; Dianne Fuller Doherty, retired director of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network; Ronn John- son, president and CEO of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services; Steve Lowell, president and CEO
of Monson Savings Bank; and Rick’s Place. Guests who have purchased tickets for the event, originally scheduled for March at the Log Cabin, will be able to pick up a boxed meal, a program guide for the event, and gifts from event sponsors at locations to be announced at a later date. The Difference Mak- ers program for 2020 is sponsored by Burkhart Piz- zanelli, Mercy Medical Center/Trinity Health Of New England, Royal P.C., and TommyCar Auto Group, with nonprofit partners MHA Inc., the Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament, and United Way of Pioneer Valley.
‘Run for the Bar’
Sept. 26: The Hampden County Bar Assoc. will hold its seventh annual 5K/10K Run/Walk Race Judicata, “A Run for the Bar.” For the safety of the participants,
spectators, and volunteers, and to adhere to the cur- rent safety guidelines, the event will be held virtu- ally. Proceeds from the event will benefit the William J. Boyle Scholarship, the Colonel Archer B. Battista Veterans Scholarship, and the Children’s Law Project. The cost for the 5K is $30, and the 5K is $40. All reg- istrants will receive a shirt and water bottle. Registra- tion is now available at bit.ly/3gTjult. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.
Agenda
Virtual Info Session for WSU Accounting Graduate Program
Sept. 29: The College of Graduate and Continuing Education (CGCE) at Westfield State University will host a virtual information session for the master of science in accounting (MSA) program at 6 p.m. via Zoom. The graduate program is designed to foster leadership skills and prepare students for successful careers in public and private accounting. It allows students to complete the additional 30 credit hours necessary to fulfill the educational requirements for the certified public accountancy (CPA) license in Massachusetts and several other states. The program offers a foundation curriculum for students who have a business background but lack the necessary coursework in accounting to complete a series of prerequisite courses as part of the master’s program. This curriculum can be completed entirely online with courses offered on a rotating basis (students can also take courses in person). The advanced curriculum is for students with an undergraduate major or concentration in accounting. It includes 10 courses (the majority are offered in a hybrid format, and certain courses are 100% online) that can be completed in only two semesters. The MSA program offers students flexibility and affordability to achieve a greater degree of sophistication in accounting and auditing. Information-session attendees will have
an opportunity to speak with faculty and members of the outreach team about the program and its application process. The $50 application fee will be waived for all attendees. To RSVP, visit www.gobac- know.com. For more information, call (413) 572-8020 or e-mail [email protected].
Construction
Continued from page 42
force survey conducted by Associated General Contractors of America and software vendor Autodesk, 60% of respondents reported having at least one future project postponed or can- celed this year, and 33% said projects already underway have been halted. Yet, a shortage of labor remains, with 52% having a hard time filling some or all hourly craft positions and only 3% of firms reducing pay, despite the downturn in business.
COVID-19 is playing some role in that trend. While some companies have laid off workers during the pandemic, 44% of contractors say at least some employees have refused to return, cit- ing unemployment benefits, virus con- cerns, or family issues, among other reasons.
“Few firms have survived unscathed from the pandemic amid widespread project delays and cancellations,” Ken Simonson, chief economist of Associ- ated General Contractors of America, told the Engineering News-Record. “Ironically, even as the pandemic undermines demand for construction services, it is reinforcing conditions that have historically made it hard for many firms to find qualified craft work- ers to hire.”
One positive from all this has been an accelerated adoption of technol- ogy. According to the workforce survey, about 40% of responding contractors said they have adopted new hardware or software to alleviate labor shortages.
“As bad as this situation is, it’s also pushing the industry forward into a better place,” William Sankey, CEO
of data-analytics solutions provider Northspyre, said in Construction Dive, an online industry newsletter. “Maybe, where it would have taken seven to 10 years to catch up to where the finance industry is in leveraging data, I think that transition will now be underway in the next two to three years.”
Down the Road
What happens over the next two to three years is really the key for all con- struction firms, which expect COVID- related impacts to continue to be felt down the road.
For now, though, Fontaine is grati- fied that his company’s workload is healthy, with public projects comple- mented by a fair amount of private work, including jobs for MGM and several prepatory schools, including
Northfield Mount Hermon School, Deerfield Academy, and Wilbraham & Monson Academy.
“We’re hoping those types of schools will have OK years fundraising for those types of projects,” he said, add- ing that private-sector clients can often move from funding to the construc- tion phase quicker than municipali- ties, especially when they realize they can take advantage of recession-driven lower prices.
It’s just another way this unprec- edented year has cut both ways for construction firms. The big question is what the coming years will bring for a sector that’s essential in more ways than one. u
Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]
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