A message from Commissioner Bruce Stebbins about workforce development and Holyoke’s new culinary and hospitality training center!
- February 01, 2016
- by MGC Communications
- 0 comments
Last week MGC’s Jill Griffin, Ny Mahasadeth and I stood outside a vacated brick manufacturing building joined by US Congressman Richard Neal, Holyoke Community College President Bill Messner, Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse and community leaders in celebrating the presentation of an Economic Development Administration award of funds to be used in creating a new Culinary and Hospitality training center along the canal in downtown Holyoke. With additional Commonwealth and Holyoke Community College foundation support, this program will help meet the existing and future demands of the region for trained culinary and hospitality staff. MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis also spoke during the program and reinforced the company’s interest in seeing this program developed as a means of providing the workforce that MGM will need. Several students waived their hand when asked who might be interested in working for MGM.
MGM Springfield signed a Surrounding Community Agreement with Holyoke though there is no shared border with Springfield. However, MGM stated that they see an opportunity to partner with the city and help draw potential new employees.
To its credit, Holyoke Community College has also been leading the team of Massachusetts community colleges to forge a partnership to create the necessary programs to train Massachusetts residents for specific gaming positions. They also realize that many students will find employment with MGM and other regional employers through programs such as this expanded culinary and hospitality program. Today’s announcement helped to demonstrate the beneficial relationship being forged by our gaming licensees, our community colleges and workforce development stakeholders throughout the Commonwealth. Maximizing employment opportunities for Massachusetts residents was a top priority of the Expanded Gaming Statute and it was evidenced again at today’s announcement.
Future MGM employees?
