Porter and Chester President and CEO James Bologa and Campus President Sheri Lynn Toner were joined by state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, At Large City Councilor Kateri Walsh, Springfield Regional Chamber president and CEO Diana Syznal, School Committee member Ayanna Crawford and several students to cut the ribbon on the new Springfield campus.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen
SPRINGFIELD — Porter and Chester Institute had plenty to celebrate on Oct. 5. After relocating from Chicopee, the workforce training company opened its Springfield location. It also commemorated its 80th anniversary.
Porter and Chester is a career training school for work in the trades and the health care field. There are seven accredited Porter and Chester campuses in New England — three in Massachusetts and four in Connecticut — and Springfield is the newest of these locations.
“A campus is much more than a building,” said President and CEO James Bologa. “It’s the students who walk through those doors ready to change their lives. It’s the instructors who bring their experience into our classrooms and labs every day and are committed to learning. It’s our staff who support students from their first conversation with us to graduation and beyond. And it’s our employers and community partners who help connect education with opportunity.”
Campus President Sheri Lynn Toner said the one constant throughout Porter and Chester’s 80 years was a constant “commitment to students and their success.” She said, “We’re making sure the students walking in … get the education they deserve.” The decision to relocate the campus from Chicopee to Springfield was made in service of those students. “We want to be an environment that is easier for students to get to … and we wanted to be more immersed in a city environment,” Toner said.
The Springfield campus currently offers four programs: automotive repair, electrical, dental assisting and heating, ventilation and air conditioning technician. Toner said Porter and Chester plans to add welding, plumbing, nursing and medical assisting in the future.
State Rep. Carlos Gonazalez said that not everyone will go to college and it is not always a necessary step to become successful. He added, “And providing these career paths, specifically in these so much needed industries is the way to go.” Addressing the students, he said, “Life pays in exact ways — what you give is what you get. And if you give to yourself, believe in yourself, anything is possible.”
Presenting a proclamation from the Springfield City Council, At Large Councilor Kateri Walsh congratulated Porter and Chester on their anniversary and relocation to Springfield. “As a mother of seven, I know how important it is to have people believe in you, to encourage you, to push you for further goals,” she said.
Diana Szynal, president and CEO of the Springfield Regional Chamber, said Porter and Chester also supports its fellow chamber members by “creating exceptional employees … The creation of jobs only matters if there’s reliable, ready workforce to take them.” She added, “Getting an education here at Porter and Chester can really change the trajectory of your lives.”
Asked about the changing nature of work and equipment, particularly in the automotive field, Toner said, “I think by 80 years, we understand what employers are looking for and are giving students the skills they need.”
Bologa added, “We’re preparing them for an entry position today. One of the things we preach is a commitment to lifelong learning. Students are going to be exposed to things they’ll use right away in their jobs.”
That said, Porter and Chester is consistently working to stay on top of advancements in all the fields it trains for. Toner said the school conducts yearly meetings with the area’s employers to maintain an understanding of what technology is relevant and what is changing.
The campus offers day and evening classes over the course of one year for the trade programs. The dental assisting program lasts 10 months. There are 134 students enrolled in Springfield, but Toner said the eventual goal is 600 students.
