LYNN ― During a ribbon-cutting ceremony on a new manufacturing-training facility at Lynn Vocational Technical Institute, the General Electric (GE) Foundation announced its commitment to a $4.4 million investment in the program that links the two entities.
Gov. Charlie Baker, Mayor Thomas M. McGee, and other officials gathered Thursday afternoon at the school to officially open the facility, where students will learn how to operate and maintain machines used in the manufacturing industry.
“Today I am very proud to be renewing our support to this program with a $4.4 million grant, and allow the MTech program for four more years ― through the year of 2025,” GE Foundation Executive Director David Barash said to students and officials.
The GE Foundation invested $4.5 million more than two years ago for new accelerated-machinist training. The investment created a relationship with both LVTI and GE River Works by supplying job opportunities at GE to graduated students from LVTI.
Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito spoke about the opportunities this partnership and the new area have created.
“We can make progress in closing skills and achievement gaps by inspiring high-school students to consider careers in STEM fields like advanced manufacturing,” said Polito. “This model of a private employer partnering with educational institutions and workforce entities to train their future employees, with the state investing resources like skills capital grants, is proven and effective.”
With COVID-19 creating difficult economic situations, this new facility brings hope and opportunities.
“We live in a very uncertain world right now,” said Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Mike Kennealy. “We’re coming on to an economic crisis brought on by a public-health crisis and there’s a lot of questions we need to ask ourselves.”
In our economy here in Massachusetts, we’re known for a lot of things: We’re known for software, biotech, health care, and financing, but we make things here in Massachusetts. We always have and we always will.”
The Advanced Manufacturing Skills Training Expansion Program has 205 adult participants and 130 youth participants learning machining at LVTI.
McGee expressed the gratitude of the City of Lynn for the facility.
“This ensures a solid pipeline from school-to-career opportunities that exist in our community and the city of Lynn” he said.
Both in 2016 and 2017, while U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton visited its headquarters, General Electric made the philanthropic commitment to the congressman to invest money into additional advanced-manufacturing jobs.
Moulton was instrumental in bringing together the North Shore workforce-training programs to propose a detailed plan to GE, which eventually became the GE Advanced Manufacturing Training Expansion Program.
“This announcement marks the next chapter in a promise General Electric made to me a few years back when they committed to investing in job training in the Sixth District,” Moulton said in a statement. “With this additional level of funding, young people across our region will continue to obtain the skills, training, and credentials they need to land good-paying jobs. This funding will ensure we remain competitive and continue to lead the charge in transforming and developing the advanced manufacturing industry for years to come.”
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience; it’s really reflective of a partnership between the GE Foundation, the state, and local officials to address a serious challenge in terms of skilled labor and advanced manufacturing,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Patrick Tutwiler.
Along with Tutwiler, members of the School Committee came out for the event and were vocal in their gratitude.
“Our students deserve these jobs,” said committee member Donna Coppola.
Baker and the state plan to expand the Advanced Manufacturing Skills Training Expansion Program into other communities in the hopes of creating more partnerships between workforce and education.
“Fostering a robust talent pipeline on the North Shore and across Massachusetts is key to ensuring that the commonwealth remains competitive in the post-pandemic global economy,” said Baker. “We are pleased to partner with employers like GE and training providers like Lynn Vocational Technical (Institute) to close the skills gap and create opportunities for both young people and adults in high-demand fields like advanced manufacturing.”
