Workforce Development Programs

CES partners with school districts to plan and implement a variety of workforce and career development programs for students, including programs for skills training, career development, and internships, to support students who are ready to pursue their career aspirations.

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Workforce Development Programs

Perkins Consortium

The Collaborative for Educational Services, under its Workforce Development Programs office, acts as the Hampshire County Perkins Consortium Lead, coordinating Perkins efforts with five school districts (Amherst, South Hadley, Easthampton, Gateway Regional, and Quaboag). Perkins funding is focused on programs that build vocational skills and develop the student workforce.

Each school receives specific allocations for PD assistance, equipment, and non-expendable supplies to support career / vocational / technical education (CVTE) programs in the school. CVTE programs also aim to help improve performance in Mathematics, Language Arts and high school completion and graduation. Perkins CVTE programs receive assistance to set goals; measure competencies in occupational skills; upgrade programs; develop new programs; develop entrepreneurship opportunities; understand high skill/high demand/high wage opportunities in Western Massachusetts; develop local support and advisory boards; and develop internship, mentorship, and work study opportunities for students. Contact Matt Rigney if your school is interested in joining the Consortium.

Paid STEM Internships

CES’ Workforce Development Programs office supports two STEM internship programs serving students in Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties in western Massachusetts. To date, our STEM internship programming has supported more than 125 students in internships in cardiology, nursing, biomed, chemical engineering, polymer science, ecology, and many other fields.

The STEM@Work Paid Internship Program focuses on STEM fields with impacts on human health and offers students up to 230 hours (max) of paid internship time.
The STEM Focused Internship Program supports students in paid STEM internships in any STEM field. Currently the maximum number of paid hours available in this program is 100 hours.

Learn more about the STEM internship programs

You have consistently kept members informed, have kept us appraised of state meetings and important new developments at the state policy level, and have assisted with student field trips, internships, job fairs, and more. I want to highlight your work that truly makes a difference!

— Gail Canon, Easthampton Public Schools

Matt Rigney

As Director of Workforce Development Programs, Matt Rigney focuses on the creation of opportunities for high school youth to advance their career skills and be ready for whatever comes after high school, whether college, a two-year degree, or the world of work.

Mr. Rigney directs the STEM@Work Paid Internship Program, focusing on STEM fields with impacts on human health, and the STEM Focused Internship Program, which supports student internships in any STEM field. Both programs offer paid internships to students.

Mr. Rigney also directs the CES Perkins Consortium, in which he works with five Hampshire County schools to deliver Chapter 74 and non-Chapter 74 Perkins programming in disciplines ranging from engineering to early childhood, welding, graphic design, and culinary science.

Position: Director, Workforce Development Programs

Email: mrigney@collaborative.org

Phone: 413.522.8322