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22 Business Profiles 2014 Worcester Business Journal www.wbjournal.com s ince its inception in 1963, Quinsigamond Community College has taken many impor- tant steps forward, but perhaps none more significant than the step it is taking in this, its fiftieth year of educating Central Massachusetts residents. In September, QCC will open doors at its fourth cam- pus location, a state-of-the-art Healthcare and Workforce Development Center at 18-20 Franklin Street, the former home of the Worcester Telegram and Gazette. Featuring the latest in healthcare simulation technologies and designs, the Center is expected to transform healthcare training in Central Massachusetts while helping revital- ize downtown Worcester. "It's going to be state of the art," QCC's Dean of Healthcare Jane June said. "It's the future of healthcare education, with simulation labs on three floors." For example, the Medical Assisting program, which now shares lab space with other programs at QCC's main campus on West Boylston Street, will feature a reproduc- tion of an actual physician's office. Students will enter through a front desk and waiting room area into an area with a main office, two examining rooms, a medication room, utility room and a teaching room. In all, the 72,409-square-foot facility will more than double the space that QCC's healthcare programs cur- rently enjoy, providing each program with its own lab space and simulation technologies and designs, and sup- port an estimated 1,500 students. Another lab, one designed for emergency medical technicians, even includes a simulated ambulance. The lab, the size and shape of a real ambulance with the tools and equipment used by EMTs in the field, will allow students to simulate the EMT experience and enter the workforce with greater knowledge and comfort. Ditto for students in all five of QCC's nursing pro- grams and the Radiologic Technology, Pharmacy Technician and Surgical Technology programs; the Surgical Technology program is set up exactly like a real- world operating room and, like the other labs, is equipped with video technology so that simulations can be record- ed and then viewed and discussed afterwards. "It's the closest you can get to the real thing," June explained. "Nothing is better than an actual clinical site, but the better prepared students can be when they begin their clinical rotations and enter the workforce, the more successful they'll be—and the happier their employers will be." In fact, the new location makes fulfilling those clinical rotations easier and more convenient for students. St. Vincent Hospital and UMass Memorial Medical center are both nearby, and QCC has existing partnerships with each organization. "The new location can only enhance these partner- ships. You never know what's going to happen down the road, but our new location and the technology we have opens up a lot of possibilities," June said. The possibilities are also great for QCC's Workforce Development programming, Adult Basic Education and ESL programming. QCC already provides extensive workforce training in collaboration with Central Massachusetts businesses, but the new location will help QCC expand those efforts. "Students will…benefit by being in close proximity to thriving businesses and organizations that can provide internships and clinical rotations required by many of QCC's programs housed at the new location, fully inte- grating QCC with downtown businesses," QCC President Dr. Gail Carberry noted at a ceremonial lease signing event in February. "Workforce development is one of the areas where QCC excels," added Dean of Training and Education A Transformation of Healthcare Education, A Transformation of Downtown w o r c e s t e r , m a Quinsigamond community college Address: 670 West Boylston Street Worcester, MA 01606 Phone: 508-853-2300 Fax: 508-854-7525 Website: www.QCC.edu Product or Service: Public, student cen- tered institution of higher learning, pro- viding accessible, affordable, and high quality educational and training pro- grams and services, relevant and respon- sive to diverse regional and student needs. Number of Employees: Staff: 435; Faculty: 628 Head of Institution: Gail E. Carberry, Ed.D., President Year Founded: 1963 Architect's rendering of QCC's new Healthcare and Workforce Development Center. QCC Alum Jeanne Dee (left) with President Gail Carberry.