Presentation at the 5th Massachusetts Sustainable Communities and 4th Sustainable Campuses Conference

1. Community Career Pathways
Gretchen E. Manning
Deputy Executive Officer
MA Community Colleges Executive Office
Sheila Harrity
Superintendent
Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School
Massachusetts Sustainable
Communities & Campuses Conference
April 16, 2015

2. Culture of Sustainability
! Demonstrating Commitment & Modeling Values with Initiatives
such as:
! Campus Gardens
ü Hands on experience for students to have for programs and training (agriculture,
culinary arts, etc.)
ü Providing healthy & local food options to students and the community (food banks)
ü Interaction with business and industry
! Wind Turbines - Mt. Wachusett Community College
! Solar Panels
! Geothermal Heating Systems
! LEED & Energy Star Certified facilities
! Partnership for Collaboration & Efficiencies (PACE)

3.
Sustainable Community College
Campus Gardens

4.
Massasoit’s Community Garden
is an edible garden that:
ü Provides hands-on learning &
practical application
ü Demonstrates food can be grown
in an urban setting (Brockton Campus)
ü Makes fruits & Veggies available to
school programs such as culinary
program, as well as community
food banks
ü Impetus for research projects on
native pollinators for students in
STEM field classes.

5. Mt. Wachusett Community College’s Wind Turbines
ü Generate
100%
of
the
college’s
annual
electricity
ü Plus
return
power
back
to
the
grid

6. • Clean Water
Technology
• Coastal Zone
Management
• Energy Management
• Environmental
Science Field
Technician
• Environmental
Science
• Environmental
Studies
• Environmental
Technology
• Farm & Food Systems
• Geographic Info
Systems
• Global Leadership
• Green Building
Technology
Sustainable Degree & Certificate Programs
• Green Energy
Design & Building
• Marine Technology
• Marine Trades
• Natural Resources
• Pre-Forestry &
Environmental
Landscaping
• Photovoltaic
Technology
• Renewable Energy/
Energy Efficiency
• Site Assessment
• Outdoor Leadership
• Natural Science
Massachusetts Community
Colleges offer degree and certificate
programs in sustainable fields;
adding new programs each year.
Programs focus on growing in-
demand fields, as well as regional
workforce needs in the
Commonwealth.
Visit
http://www.masscc.org/student-
resources/getting-started
for a sampling of degree and
certificate programs and to connect
to campuses and resources to advise
students.

7. Sustainable Offerings – Academic / Credit Example
Greenfield Community College - new Sustainable Farming Skills course
(through U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Grant)
AGR 118 Course Description: An Introduction to sustainable farming skills and
methods. Students grow vegetable and row crops developing hands-on skills through
sustainable farming methods and techniques. Topics include land use planning and crop
layout, nutrient use and recycling, irrigation, composting, weed management and
vegetable and row crop planting, maintenance and harvesting for sustainable
agricultural systems.
This course is a part of our ENGAGE (Educational Networks for Growing an
Agricultural Economy) project. Our partners include six area high schools: Smith
Vocational School, Franklin County Technical School, Turners Falls High School, Mohawk
Trail Regional High School, Greenfield High School, and Four Rivers Charter School. Kyle
Bostrom, owner of Bostrom Farm in Greenfield, will teach the new 3-credit Introduction
to Sustainable Farming Skills course.
Greenfield Garden

8. Sustainable Non-Credit Certificates & Courses
Clean Energies Corporate/ Organizational Sustainability
Manager
Energy Conservation Energy Efficiency
Energy Fundamentals Geothermal
Green Energy Design & Building Green Facilities Management
Green Project Management Introduction to Renewable Energy
LEED Photovoltaic Technology
Site Design & Energy Savings Solar
Solarium & Green House Technology Sustainable Design/Green building
Sustainable Energy Weatherization
Wind Energy Agriculture & Farming
The Community Colleges also offer a Non-Credit & Customized Training programs tailored
to the industries that are vital to the Commonwealth’s regional economies.

9. Sustainable Offerings – Non-Credit Example
Roxbury Community College – Solar Photovoltaic is a 13-week course
providing increased interactivity, inviting experienced Guest Lecturers from
various solar companies, and increasing utilization of the RCC solar
laboratory for hands-on interaction with RCC’s rooftop solar panels.
The last week of the course is reserved for resume writing, and discussions
of various solar work environments. All resumes are deposited into the Clean
Energy Internship Portal (MassCEC). Students are also introduced to
Internship symposiums with:
Ø The MassCEC Clean Energy Symposium
Ø The Women in Clean Energy
Ø 2015 Student Clean Energy Symposium

10. CREATING EDUCATION & CAREER PATHWAYS
Massachusetts Community Colleges collectively provide pathways to
sustainable careers through statewide articulation agreements with the
Commonwealth’s Vocational Technical High Schools.
ü Currently 14 Agreements where high school students can earn college
course credits through completion of their vocational high school program.
ü Agreements exist in areas such as culinary arts, hospitality,
manufacturing, information technology, and carpentry to name a few.
ü Additional pathways will be established in the 2015-2016 academic year.
ü Visit http://www.masscc.org/articulation

11. Community Career Pathways
Gretchen E. Manning
Deputy Executive Officer
MA Community Colleges Executive Office
Sheila Harrity
Superintendent
Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School
Massachusetts Sustainable
Communities & Campuses Conference
April 16, 2015