Latest news with #TechFoundry
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal funding loss will curtail Tech Hub programs in Holyoke
HOLYOKE — Tech Foundry will curtail its class offerings at its Tech Hub Holyoke for August, following a Trump administration clawback of grant funds. 'We are far from alone here, right?' said Tricia Canavan, CEO of the nonprofit Tech Foundry. 'We are seeing it happen in many different places.' But these cuts are especially frustrating, Canavan said Monday, because Tech Hub Holyoke teaches digital literacy, helping people learn how to navigate online and use those skills to access jobs, health care and education. 'We have come to recognize that these are foundational skills that people need to effectively operate in the 21st century,' she said. 'These skills are also a social determinant of health.' Vital information and connections to jobs, housing, health care appointments and insurance are all online. Federal cuts mean there are fewer people to answer questions in person or provide resources by phone at the Social Security Administration, for example, Canavan said. 'If you can't go online and navigate that system, it's very difficult,' she said. Canavan couldn't say Monday exactly how much money she expected Tech Foundry to get for the Holyoke program. She said she hopes the cutbacks are temporary. 'We continue to fundraise and we continue to work hard to identify resources,' Canavan said. Tech Hub Holyoke will offer only limited workshops – with a schedule to be released soon. It will suspend community workshops in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties. A different Tech Hub, located in Springfield at 1350 Main St., will continue to offer classes, tech support and device distribution to Springfield residents only. The cost of running Tech Hub Holyoke is $300,000 a year. Tech Foundry launched the hub in 2023 at Holyoke Community College's Picknelly Adult and Family Education Center, at 206 Maple St., providing digital literacy resources and a help desk for novice computer users. Tech Hub Holyoke has recorded 3,960 interactions with clients seeking help through workshops, community classes, device repair, help desk support and one-on-one consultations. Many of those interactions are with repeat customers, according to a release from Tech Foundry. On average, Tech Hub Holyoke serves 75 unique visitors monthly and conducts 35 workshops at the Picknelly center and at community locations throughout Western Mass. The Tech Hub offers both internships and digital fellowships to students and graduates of the Tech Foundry IT Support Training Program. In May, Massachusetts announced the Trump administration's decision to terminate $14.1 million in federal funding to expand internet access for veterans, rural communities and individuals with disabilities in Massachusetts. The money would have been managed through the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. The money was previously awarded through the Digital Equity Act Capacity Grant Program. Of the $14.1 million, $9.44 million was to have gone to the Launchpad Program and fund digital literacy programs like the one in Holyoke that is now cut back. There would have been $1.44 million included as well for the Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program that would have helped towns and cities build internet support infrastructure, according to a news release from the state. No Kings protesters vow it's only the 'end of the beginning, we're going to be out here for months, years' until Donald Trump's policies end At HardTech, Holyoke wants to sell itself as a place 'for companies from Boston to land' in a new manufacturing economy Baystate Health readies for hospital demolition at Mary Lane site Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tech Foundry opens new tech hub in downtown Springfield
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A local IT workforce and development training program is officially calling downtown Springfield home. Tech Foundry hosted an open house this evening at its new headquarters—tech hub— located on Main Street. Guests were invited to meet with the organization's CEO, connect with the leadership team, as well as network with program alumni. Program leaders shared their vision for growing a community of local IT professionals… 'There's a huge need within the tech sector for people with these skill sets,' says Deputy Director Michelle Wilson. 'Here in Springfield, the unemployment rate has ticked up a little recently. Yet there's still an opportunity for people to gain these skills and get on a path to living wage jobs.' Wednesday night also featured Tech Foundry student demonstrations. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New tech hub opens in Springfield to boost digital skills
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A workforce development organization has expanded to downtown Springfield. Tech Foundry has expanded and opened up a new tech hub program in downtown Springfield, as an IT-focused digital equity organization, they are working to help those in the area learn tech skills. They offer basic and intermediate digital literacy skills to everyone in the community. Tech Foundry opened a new hub in downtown Springfield, working to increase technical literacy in the area. CEP Tricia Canavan told 22News, 'We see that once they have these skills and once they have a laptop, they can then access and fully participate in all the opportunities that we have here.' In the world today, just about everything utilizes technology, but studies show that 1 in 6 Americans are not able to access the resources provided through the digital world. Mayor Domenic Sarno adding, ' It is an essential part of life, you have to have that technological knowledge so it can help you advance and be able to provide not only for yourself but your family.' The City of Springfield contributed $700,000 through the ARPA fund to bring these programs to the city. Not only will Tech Foundry have classes three days a week at their hub, but the other two days, they will be teaching lessons out in the community. 'We will go out into people's neighborhoods to where they gather so that we can come to them and bring the technology, bring the training to make it easy,' adds. Canavan said not only do they help with technical literacy, but also tech safety, 'Cyber security is a real concern, especially for many of our seniors, they might fall victim to unscrupulous people who are trying to get financial information and so that is also part of our training.' Tech Foundry helps all ages to understand and navigate the digital world, whether it be to further extend a career or education, access medical information in a portal or even just set up a video call with family. Since 2014, they have served over 500 students with a 75% job retention rate after 6 months. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
