The Express Program of the Workforce Training Fund Program provides employers with fast, simple access to grant-funded training, helping businesses in Massachusetts respond to emerging needs and strengthen their workforce.
A: I think many small employers in Massachusetts may not realize they are already paying into the Workforce Training Fund and may be eligible for grant funding to help subsidize employee training costs. All for-profit employers with employees in Massachusetts contribute to the Fund, and many nonprofit employers do as well.
What I would want people to understand about Express is that it provides businesses with a straightforward way to invest in their workforce. The program helps employers build employee skills, improve productivity, and stay competitive, while giving workers access to training that can help them grow in their current roles and advance their careers.
The application process is designed to be accessible and efficient. Although Express is a reimbursement-based program, employers must identify their training needs (we have a preapproved directory of courses to choose from), gather a few compliance documents, and complete an application at least 21 days before training begins. Applications can often be completed in less than 30 minutes, and organizations are eligible to receive up to $15,000 in grant funding per calendar year.
Q: What does your role as Senior Program Manager for Express involve, and what might surprise people about the work that goes into supporting the program?
A: As a Senior Program Manager, I wear many different hats. In a given month, I could be managing several small continuous improvement projects (we are always improving our systems!), running reports and pulling data to track our program KPI’s, managing training provider relationships, and reviewing lots of courses for pre-approval. I also spend a chunk of my time reviewing and approving grantee reimbursement submissions for payment.We manage a quick-moving, high-volume grant program. That looks like awarding over 2,000 grants to over 1,200 unique organizations per year and managing a directory that houses over 4,000 preregistered courses from more than 400 training providers. With that comes a lot of questions, support, and concerns from all places. So, it might not be too surprising, but managing day-to-day inquiries (application questions, reimbursement questions, technical issues, new training provider inquiries, etc.) is a big part of the work our whole team supports. We emphasize timely and quality responses to ensure folks receive quick and accurate answers to their questions.
A: As a former athlete, continuous growth and development were core components of finding the best version of my athlete self. That came from being adaptable, open to feedback, and team-oriented. While my athletic “glory days” are most definitely behind me, I find a lot of the same components that make a good athlete within our Express team, which is what I enjoy most about working with the team. We are all working together towards a common goal of developing a quality grant program. We are agile and respond quickly to feedback. It doesn’t come without some bumps along the way, but finding ways to adapt and improve our systems as new challenges arise is important to us.
Q: Is there a project, program improvement, or accomplishment from your time with Express that you are especially proud of?
A: I have been with the Express Program for almost 6 years, and it’s fun to think about all the improvements we have made to our program in that time. I am most proud of the work our team did to bring our Express Provider Portal system in-house. Prior to 2023, we were utilizing an external course submission system to manage our directory. The system worked well for our needs at the time, but it was not integrated with the rest of our grant management system, which resulted in a large amount of manual data entry. Over the course of a year, we developed, tested, and launched a new system that was seamlessly integrated into our CRM system. This resulted in a much-improved user experience for both our team and our training providers. We have seen an increase in new and daily users to our system, and we are no longer spending extra time manually entering data.
About the Express Program:
The Express Program helps Massachusetts businesses access grant-funded training quickly and easily. With no waiting periods between grants, flexible course options, and support every step of the way, Express gets you from application to action in just 21 days.
For Employers: Quickly upskill your team to meet emerging needs.
For Training Providers: Expand your reach—register your courses in two simple steps and connect with businesses across the state.
Fast. Flexible. Friendly. That’s Express.
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