Greenfield Community College has received a $55,000 grant from the Workforce Training Fund to provide training in non-technical professional skills through the Small Business Direct Access Program through 2020. Administered by Commonwealth Corporation — a  state agency that fosters partnerships between industry, education, and workforce organizations — the fund is a program of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. Through the program, companies with 100 or fewer employees who contribute to the fund are eligible to bring free online training in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Quickbooks and WordPress to current and newly-hired employees.

"This is an excellent way for employers to keep their employees' skills current to meet the demands of the business and technology world," comments Kristin Cole, Associate Director of Workforce Development & Community Education. "It's an opportunity for small organizations to up-skill their workforce at no cost to them."

To deliver the training, GCC has partnered with Pioneer Training, a local organization specializing in database and MS Office programming, web development and computer training. Taught by adjunct faculty, the current roster of courses includes:

●       Computing Essentials (for Mac)
●       Microsoft Excel (basic, intermediate, or advanced)
●       Microsoft Word (intermediate or advanced)
●       QuickBooks
●       and WordPress

Taught virtually, each course enrolls an average of 10-12 students at a time. Applying companies may also request to work directly with GCC to create customized training to meet the specific needs of their organization.

"This is a great time to do this," reminds Kristin, "So many employees are working remotely, some of whom have had their roles reduced, freeing up new pockets of time."

To see if your small business is eligible, view the eligibility guidelines at www.workforcetrainingfund.org. For questions or to participate, email train@gcc.mass.edu.