STCC, Futureworks to team up to reduce unemployment in Springfield

STURBRIDGE, Mass. (WWLP) - Massachusetts has an 8% jobless rate, but in Springfield, that number is substantially higher at 10%. A plan to reduce the city's jobless rate was unveiled Monday at a statewide conference held in Sturbridge.

Springfield Technical Community College and the nearby Futureworks Career Center are involved in the plan.

Rexane Picard of Futureworks said that part of the problem with creating jobs in the area has been that many area job applicants haven’t had the skills that employers are looking for.

“We are chipping away at that number (the city’s unemployment rate), but certainly we hear from the employers’ side, we don't see the right skills,” Picard said.

Under the plan, Futureworks will communicate with STCC about the kinds of job skills area employers are seeking, and the college will in turn tailor courses to meet these skill demands.

Angela Bellas of STCC said that they are up to the challenge of expanding job opportunities in the city. “We see ourselves as educators being able to build bridges between employers and community members who are currently searching for a job,” Bellas said.

22News had recently reported a similar plan involving Springfield Technical Community College training Spanish-speaking health workers for jobs at the Holyoke Health Center.