MCC Receives $5 Million to Train Workers

Manchester Community College has received a grant of nearly 5 million dollars for a worker training program.

As NHPR’s Sam Evans-Brown reports the funds come from an unexpected source.

When American companies can’t find the American workers with the skills they need, they can bring in guest workers on a temporary visa.

Applying for that visa costs the employer a lot of money, and the Department of Labor gives that money back in the form of grants to train Americans.

David Flint , of Manchester Community College, says the program here will focus on the healthcare industry.

Flint:  we’re talking about skilled jobs, such as radiology technicians, health career coaches, people with associates degrees in registered nursing advancing to the bachelor’s level.

The program targets long-term unemployed and disadvantaged individuals, and also retrains workers who don’t have the skills required by modern healthcare. 

The college hopes that classes will be up and running next semester.