LRCC and Lakes Region Chamber Unveil Career Pathways Workforce Series

Lakes Region Community College (LRCC) and the Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce joined forces to launch a new Career Pathways Workforce Development Series. These dynamic events will be held monthly at LRCC and explore diverse career opportunities in business, healthcare, culinary and hospitality, and robotics technology and manufacturing for area middle schools, high schools, and the community.

These events feature vibrant panel discussions with industry experts and local business leaders, an immersive career fair with opportunities at area businesses and campus tours to learn more about LRCC's program offerings. This Career Pathways initiative is open to students, educators and businesses.

NCC and Nashua School District Team Up to Create a New Cybersecurity Pathway

A new partnership between Nashua Community College (NCC) and Nashua School District is building a pathway for students to earn dual credit towards a degree in a high-demand field. High school students can now take Cybersecurity courses at Nashua High School South and earn both high school and college credit through the Early College program at NCC.  

“Because job growth in the cybersecurity field is burgeoning, the timing of this opportunity could not be better,” said Mario Andrade, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools for the Nashua School District. “We are grateful for the partnership with NCC because this is a great opportunity for our students to accelerate acquisition of highly marketable skills and credentials in the field. Our students are up to meeting the demand for cybersecurity specialists.”



Supported by a company called Paradigm, Nashua High School students can participate in a three-year Cybersecurity pathway that can lead right into the Cybersecurity Networking associate degree at NCC.

Accurate Air Gives Opportunity to HVAC Students at MCC

With deep roots in New Hampshire and an entrepreneurial mind, John Salizzoni has a lifelong propensity to give back and help others in his community. As the president of Manchester-based Accurate Air, a commercial and industrial heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), and refrigeration services company, John launched the Accurate Air Scholarship Fund at Manchester Community College (MCC). The focus of the fund is to provide need-based scholarship support to students enrolled in MCC’s HVAC program.

John comes from a family with a long tradition of generously supporting educational institutions. He is a huge proponent of giving opportunity, the core theme behind the mission of The Foundation for New Hampshire Community Colleges. He shares this vision to provide greater access to educational opportunities and prepare students for in-demand, skilled jobs in HVAC and has committed resources to make it a reality for more students.

“My family has a tradition of giving back,” said John. “It was an obvious choice for us to give locally and support students at MCC through The Foundation.”

Braden McAlpine Named to National Youth Leadership Council to Advance Apprenticeship in U.S.

When the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA) created a National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC) in 2023, the organization invited youth apprentices from across the country to apply to serve. A committee of national experts, youth apprenticeship program staff, and a former youth apprentice reviewed applications and selected 15 young people from across the country to join the first NYLC. Braden McAlpine from Pembroke, New Hampshire was selected to be part of this inaugural group.

Braden says he “applied because I love the idea of being part of something that gets the idea of apprenticeships out there. I talked to my peers at school about apprenticeships, but it was just in conversation. With the youth council, I want to part of an effort to get the word out there about the value of apprenticeships.”



Braden graduated from Pembroke Academy in 2022 and moved right into a position installing heating and cooling units for MSI Mechanical Systems, Inc., a full-service mechanical contractor based in Salem. Both he and his employer credit ApprenticeshipNH, a workforce program within the Community College System of New Hampshire, for creating a pathway for mutually beneficial employment.