Haverhill and Lawrence, MA (September 26, 2022)—Students in Northern Essex Community College health care programs will soon have new, cutting-edge technology tools to enhance patient care training. The state recently awarded the college a $226,005 Skills Capital Grant, which will be used to purchase two industry-specific anatomy models. The mannequins will enable students to experience, through simulation, real-life medical occurrences akin to actual workplace situations.

“This equipment will help deliver a critical component of the student’s education by providing robust simulated patient care experiences, experiences directly aligned with current workforce training needs identified by industry, employer partners, and education partners,” said NECC Director of Grant Development, Karen Rooney.

These mannequins will allow faculty to remotely operate and proctor simulations, enabling the students to be fully immersed in the scenarios without the distraction of having operators in the room.

Governor Charlie Baker announced the award last week, which is part of $32 million in funding dedicated to modernizing equipment at career technical programs and expanding training opportunities for young people and adults. Twenty-two million dollars was awarded to 70 educational institutions, and an additional $10 million was awarded to 23 vocational schools.

“Since our administration launched these critically important programs, high schools, colleges, and other educational institutions throughout the Commonwealth have created and expanded numerous training programs with Skills Capital Grants and developed new training opportunities for young people and adults with the Career Technical Initiative,” said Governor Baker. “We are very proud of the lasting impact these grants will have on the Massachusetts workforce and the future of the Commonwealth as they prepare the next generation of innovative leaders in cutting-edge industries.”

Most health care programs are located at the El-Hefni Allied Health & Technology Center on Common St in Lawrence.

The new equipment will also complement the NECC competency-based program funded under a Massachusetts Department of Higher Education HEIF grant. The Competency-Based Pathways in Allied Health Program aims to build the capacity of NECC further to address factors that have the potential to decrease the time to earn a credential in a profession that is experiencing a workforce shortage.

“The career training our students will receive with these models is strategically integrated within our local healthcare ecosystem and will prepare our students for the rigors of clinical work and significantly contribute to addressing the local workforce demands of our region,” said Rooney.

A third of the students at Northern Essex are enrolled in one of the college’s 22 associate degree and certificate programs in high-demand health care fields, ranging from nursing to respiratory care to sleep technology. Most programs are located at the El-Hefni Allied Health & Technology Center on Common St in Lawrence.  The 44,000-square-foot facility features a Health Education Simulation Center, where health care students receive hands-on experience in simulated environments such as a hospital intensive care unit, a trauma room, an acute care hospital room, an apartment, an ambulance, and a doctor’s office.

Visit the website or contact interim Dean of Health Services Kathy Hudson to learn more.