NORTHAMPTON — Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School has been awarded $479,998 for its adult education programming to provide training to 60 participants for culinary arts positions this fall.
The funding comes as part of the Healey-Driscoll administration awarding $24.2 million in Career Technical Initiative implementation grants to 23 school districts, to train 2,490 individuals for careers in high-demand occupations within the trades, construction and manufacturing sectors across the state.
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 Healey-Driscoll administration, in partnership with Commonwealth Corporation, has awarded $53 million in CTI grants, projected to train over 6,090 unemployed and underemployed individuals. This recent announcement launches the 10th cohort of CTI grants. Among nine awarded cohorts — to date — over 4,400 total participants have completed training, over 3,100 have earned industry-recognized credentials and over 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,” said Gov. Maura Healey. “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.”
The CTI program is administered by Commonwealth Corporation, a quasi-public agency of The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. In partnership with the Executive Office of Education, CTI 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 $24.2 million awarded focused on job training for adult learners 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 prepare untapped talent for current workforce demands,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones. “This program is a great example of the collaborative efforts needed to build our workforce. We appreciate the partnership with career and technical education schools, MassHire Regional Workforce Boards and career centers, businesses and labor for paving the way for more jobseekers to gain meaningful skills and employment in Massachusetts.”
With its newly awarded $479,998 to provide training for 60 participants for culinary arts positions, Smith Vocational Adult Education Director Lorana Turner told Reminder Publishing the school has been awarded funding in past years for the same purpose.
Turner added that many people have had the thought, “should I have gone to trade school?” and this program can help those looking for an entryway into a new profession in the trades.
“People that qualify for this program have to meet the income threshold,” said Turner. “Very commonly, we will find people at job fairs or resource fairs and see if people would be interested in a career in culinary arts. We try to find people that this program would fit.”
Students train 20 hours a week as part of the program and Turner said it has become a great way to help bridge gaps in the workforce demands of the state and nation.
“We’re just looking for people that really need a job and instead of getting just any job, they’re getting something where they can train, gain some skills and can be out there and work,” said Turner. “The vocations are targeted because that’s where we are underserved as far as filling positions.”
Turner added culinary was chosen as the program to benefit from this funding as since the coronavirus pandemic food services groups have still struggled to maintain staffing levels and this program is efficient in getting people trained and ready to work.
The Culinary Arts Program, through the school’s Adult Education Department, is designed to prepare students to work in the restaurant industry as entry level prep cooks or line cooks. Possible employment opportunities will exist in area businesses where food prep is required including Snapchef, Tosca, Smith Dining College Services, Atkins Farm, River Valley Co-op, Pete’s Sweets, Ana Bandeira Chocolates, Hungry Ghost Bread, Jake’s Restaurant, Deerfield Academy and Northampton Brewery.
“We have quite a few partners out in the community here that have said ‘yes, we’d love to partner with you.’ As far as the partnership goes, we’re saying we will be producing qualified candidates that have credentials, such as ServSafe, which would be good to apply for any X-entry level positions you have. Then they’re saying, ‘we agree, when we have an opening, we will let you know and agree to interview any interested candidates.’ Of course, we can’t make them commit to hiring someone, but they’ve agreed this is great and appreciate we are training people in the field,” added Turner.
The course will run for 13 weeks of training through an instructor-led classroom. Classes start Sept. 22 and end Dec. 16. Courses will be Monday through Thursday from 4-9 p.m.
For more information or to apply for the culinary arts training program, visit smithtec.org. Interested parties can also email Turner at lturner@smithtec.org for more information.
“We’ll do this as long as the funds are available. We think it’s a very good opportunity for people. The program has a lot of support funds — this past summer we had someone who couldn’t join the class because she couldn’t pay for daycare. We were able to help her with that. Someone else had car trouble and we were able to help them pay for the repair. The grant does allow for support funds, which is fantastic,” shared Turner. “I really love it, it’s a really great thing. We’ll work hard every day for this grant to get the best and the most out of it for our community.”
