Middlesex Community College is helping the local community get back to work. As part of the Massachusetts Community Colleges & Workforce Development “Transformation Agenda,” MCC has hired two College and Career Navigators to help displaced workers re-enter the workforce by connecting them with pathways to improve their education or skills.
“The College and Career Navigators serve as liaisons between three local One Stop Career Centers and the state’s community colleges,” said Marilynn Gallagan, MCC’s Dean of Admissions.
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Nancy Quinn and Cherie Fisher are MCC’s College and Career Navigators. They split their time between Middlesex and one of three local career centers: The Career Place in Woburn, Career Source in Cambridge and the Career Center of Lowell.
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MCC’s College and Career Navigators work on a case-by-case basis, helping individuals find a smooth transition into an educational setting, including supporting students through the application and financial aid processes. They also familiarize students with support services, such as tutoring, advising, and providing referrals to other community resources inside and outside the college that can enhance student success.
Often, College and Career Navigators will suggest one of MCC’s credit or noncredit certificate programs. “Sometimes people just need a little retraining. Certificate programs offer the educational enhancement and hands-on training our clients need to get them back to work immediately,” said Fisher.
Under the Transformation Agenda, community colleges statewide are integrating more certificate programs into their credit and noncredit offerings. These programs are mutually beneficial for all parties: Students can get back to work immediately, and also continue their education, and career centers and colleges boost their enrollment and retention numbers.
MCC currently offers 30 credit and noncredit certificate programs, including Biotechnology, Clinical Laboratory Assistant, Medical Assisting, Phlebotomy, Nursing Assistant, Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement, Entrepreneurship in Small Business, and Paralegal Studies.
For more information about MCC’s College and Career Navigators, contact Cherie Fisher or Nancy Quinn at 1-800-818-3434 or visit https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/admissions/navigate.aspx.
MCC is one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in the state. We offer more than 75 degree and certificate programs, plus hundreds of noncredit courses, during the day, evening and weekend, on our Bedford and Lowell campuses, and online. Middlesex – a great place to begin your future!
