UMass Boston

Congressman Stephen Lynch joined UMass Boston Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco at Fox Point Dock today to announce and celebrate $1 million in federal community project funding for UMass Boston to create an Offshore Workforce Development Center.

“The Offshore Workforce Development Center is an innovative way to educate and train students in emerging career fields related to renewable energy development, which is critically important to fighting climate change,” said Congressman Lynch. “These labs will allow students to learn by integrating state-of-the-art virtual reality and online training with in-person learning opportunities within a robust maritime environment.

“This $1M will help UMass Boston engage and prepare the next generation to meet the demand for talent in the offshore wind industry, which can complement priorities in aquaculture, blue tech and coastal resilience technology."

The appropriation will enable UMass Boston to venture further into STEM education and develop a pipeline of workforce-ready people who will power the regional economy in emerging fields. At the same time, the funding will unleash state-of-the-art educational technologies and facilitate the design of innovative, accessible, and flexible micro-credential programs across the STEM curriculum.

“Establishing an Offshore Workforce Development Center at UMass Boston represents a truly unique opportunity to both build cutting-edge professional training infrastructure and catalyze regional economic development,” Chancellor Suárez-Orozco said. “In time, I am confident the center will be regarded as another UMass Boston initiative that is of and for the city and of and for the times.”

Chancellor Suárez-Orozco also thanked Congressman Lynch for his long-time commitment to UMass Boston, including, for three consecutive years, has securing discretionary federal funding to support initiatives and growth at the university. Boston is the only campus in the UMass system to receive such funding.

“I give great credit to UMass Boston Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco and his team for their work to continually build upon what UMass Boston has to offer its students, teachers and our community,” Congressman Lynch said. “I am truly grateful for the relentless support of Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, and for our joint partnership with our state and local leaders, Mayor Michelle Wu, Senator Nick Collins, Rep. Dan Hunt, City Councilors Erin Murphy and John Fitzgerald, and former City Councilor Frank Baker, to ensure federal funding goes where it is needed most in our communities.”