Page 25 - BusinessWest September 30, 2024

services, and more.
The Massachusetts Workforce Skills
Fund builds on strategies outlined in
the administration’s Massachusetts Workforce Agenda, titled “Meeting the Moment to Attract, Retain, and Develop a Future Workforce,” released earlier this year. The document outlines the administration’s vision, goals, and strate- gies to support workforce development statewide, and recognizes a stipend pro- gram as a resource to attract and retain talent by providing greater means to pur- sue and persist in job-training programs that ultimately lead to employment outcomes.
“This new program through the Massachusetts Workforce Skills Fund is a meaningful step toward eliminating barri- ers to employment and building a strong and inclusive workforce. By addressing financial obstacles, this initia- tive will increase access for more individuals to succeed, compete, and contribute to our growing workforce.”
Stipends are awarded to participants
based on training duration and issued upon completion of three mile- stones. Participants in training programs that are fewer than three months will receive $3,000, and participants in training programs longer than three months will receive $5,000. Stipends are issued fol- lowing the first two weeks of training, at the completion of the training program, and upon post-training employment.
“This new program through the Massachusetts Workforce Skills Fund is a meaningful step toward eliminating barriers to employment and building a strong and inclusive workforce,” Gov. Maura Healey said. “By addressing financial obstacles, this initiative will increase access for more individuals to succeed, compete, and contribute to our growing workforce.”
Added Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, “as we support economic opportunity and mobility for Massachusetts residents, this new stipend program is an actionable approach to empower unemployed and underem- ployed individuals who we need active in our workforce. By offering this resource, our administration will maximize the labor potential of untapped talent, supporting both labor productivity and addressing larger social inequities within our workforce.”
Targeted Impact
The Workforce Skills Fund is being implemented for two specific, pre-existing programs that focus on unemployed and underemployed workers: the Career Technical Initiative (CTI) and the Workforce Com- petitiveness Trust Fund (WCTF). The stipends are a fixed amount of flexible dollars provided directly to individuals who will enroll in either of the two eligible approved training programs.
WCTF and CTI programs are designed to attract unemployed and underemployed workers. Yet, an array of barriers may hinder partici- pants and prospective participants from enrolling, completing training, and entering the labor market, such as costs for childcare, transporta- tion, and digital equipment. The stipend program through the Massa- chusetts Workforce Skills Fund aims to address these and other chal- lenges, facilitating greater access to workforce opportunities.
“As Massachusetts strengthens its world-class workforce, we must provide a world-class support system with greater intentionality to reduce barriers to employment and support persistence and success in job-training programs,” Secretary of Labor and Workforce Develop- ment Lauren Jones said. “By launching he Massachusetts Workforce Skills Fund and initiating this stipend program, the Healey-Driscoll
GOV. MAURA HEALEY
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