Press Release: 7/31/2026

Healey-Driscoll Administration Invests in Paid Co-op Programs to Prepare Students for In-Demand Careers

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

7/30/2026

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced expanded opportunities for students at Massachusetts public colleges and universities to gain paid, real-world work experience while earning their degrees through a second round of funding to expand cooperative education (co-op) programs.  

Administered through the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE), the Administration is making another $60,000 available to help public four-year campuses design and launch new co-op programs during the 2027–2028 academic year. The funding is part of the Massachusetts Co-operative Education Initiative, a partnership between the Department of Higher Education's Innovation Hub and UMass Lowell. 

To date, the Massachusetts Cooperative Education Initiative has awarded $210,000 in “First Mover” Co-op Program Design Grants to Bridgewater State University, Framingham State University, and Massachusetts College of Art and Design to launch new co-op programs as the initiative's first cohort. This second round of funding called the “Fast Follower” grants, will support additional public four-year institutions as they design new co-op programs to launch during the 2027–2028 academic year. 

“Massachusetts has the best public colleges and universities in the country, and we want every student to have access to hands-on learning that prepares them for what's next,” said Governor Maura Healey. “By helping more campuses build paid co-op programs, we're creating stronger connections between our classrooms, our businesses and the careers that will drive our economy forward.” 

“Our employers need talented workers, and our students deserve opportunities to gain real-world experience before they graduate,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Expanding paid co-op programs will help students develop the skills businesses are looking for while building a stronger workforce that keeps Massachusetts competitive.” 

“We are creating more pathways for students across the Commonwealth to enrich their public higher education experience through work-based learning,” said Education Secretary Steve Zrike. “These grants will help our college and universities build strong, sustainable co-op programs that connect students with meaningful career experiences and prepare them to succeed in an evolving workforce after graduation.” 

“Students at our public colleges and universities deserve every opportunity to connect what they are learning in the classroom with meaningful, paid experience in the workforce,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega. “This new round of grants will help additional institutions build the capacity to offer co-ops and strengthen the pathway from college to career.” 

Co-ops are a type of work-based learning where students participate in full-time, paid work experiences for four to eight months related to their field of study while earning their degree. These experiences help students build professional skills, expand their networks, and strengthen the connection between classroom learning and career success.  Institutions should apply through the state's online procurement platform COMMBUYS by Friday, August 14, 2026, at 5 pm. 

The Massachusetts Cooperative Education Initiative is a partnership between DHE's Innovation Hub and UMass Lowell to expand cooperative education across the Commonwealth's public higher education system. Through the initiative, participating campuses receive technical assistance, coaching, and opportunities to learn from peers while developing sustainable co-op programs and strengthening employer partnerships. 

“I appreciate the dedication of the Department, its new Innovation Hub, and our campus leaders who are driving forward shared goals of growing opportunities for students in an evolving economy,” said Board of Higher Education Chair Chris Gabrieli. “Paid co-ops help students develop skills, knowledge and networks that might otherwise be out of reach.”  

UMass Lowell, home to one of the nation's longest-running cooperative education programs, serves as the initiative's lead partner, providing guidance, technical assistance, and coaching with public colleges and universities as they develop and expand co-op opportunities for students. 

“Strong partnerships have always been at the heart of cooperative education,” said UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen. “As institutions work together to expand these programs, we are proud to share UMass Lowell’s proven approaches to cooperative education, learn from one another, and make experiential learning a defining feature of public higher education across Massachusetts. That collaboration will create lasting value for students and employers alike.”  

Expanding cooperative education is a priority of DHE's innovation Hub, which launched in 2025 with support from a $2.1 million grant from Axim Collaborative. The Hub identifies, pilots, and scales innovative approaches that improve college access, strengthen student success, and better connect higher education with workforce needs. 

Institutions that receive the new “Fast Follower” grants will be expected to complete the planning necessary to launch a new co-op pilot, including academic program design, preliminary employer and academic partnerships, student recruitment strategies, sustainability planning, and measurement and reporting plans. The awarded institutions will also contribute to the broader Massachusetts Cooperative Education Initiative learning agenda by sharing lessons learned, participating in peer convenings, and supporting the development of state-level co-op reporting standards. 

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