MCC’s Pathmaker Program Graduates 12 Students

Middlesex Community College held a graduation ceremony for the Pathmaker program on Thursday, June 25. MCC’s program assists in filling gaps in the life sciences workforce by helping to build job training opportunities for in-demand careers in Massachusetts. Funded by the Mass Life Sciences Center (MLSC) Pathmaker Initiative, the program is in partnership with Insulet Corporation and MassHire Lowell Career Center.

“Coming to college is always an important part of what a person can do to advance in life,” said Phil Sisson, MCC’s President. “The intensity of this type of program takes a lot of resilience while balancing the responsibilities of your everyday life. We have amazing partnerships with MLSC, MassHire and Insulet which makes this work possible by supporting our programs with equipment, space, money and dedication to make sure you can get your certificate and be gainfully employed. Congratulations to the latest cohort on your tremendous achievement and good luck as you move forward, which may include continuing your education here at MCC.”

In the most recent cohort, 12 students graduated. The graduates included Jeffrey Alden, Andrew Crockett, Bright Eshun, Brandon Goss, Carlos Guevara, Christa Harper, Jared Johnson-Carter, Benjamin Lee, Coleman Luz, Ronald Mawejje, Winton Nguyen, and Kakrunna Sorn.

“This program has been such a great adventure of learning from start to finish,” Eshun said. “All the instructors were great at imparting the knowledge and science that goes into manufacturing and robotics, making the entire course fun and interesting.”

“This program showed me that I can go back to the classroom and learn new things even after being out of school for over a decade,” Guevara said. “I’ve learned so many valuable skills and I am a lot more confident in my job search. Love the hands-on approach and the instructors are top notch.”

This is MCC’s sixth cohort to complete the program since partnering with MLSC. Students took classes in the new robotics lab on the Bedford campus, which debuted in Fall 2025. During the Summer 2026 graduation ceremony, students received a certificate and heard from guest speakers, including Senior Director of U.S. Operations at Insulet Corporation Peter Gowac.

In Spring 2026, Gowac attended the annual American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) convention with representatives from Middlesex. MCC’s program was selected as one of five finalists for Outstanding College/Corporate Partnership by AACC for the partnership with Insulet.

“This award is a reflection of our partnership,” Gowac said. “The program is all about your education and preparing you for your career. Think of this as the next step in your journey. It takes a lot of people to put a program like this together. We at Insulet happen to be the beneficiaries of getting to work with so many of the Pathmaker students and for that we are grateful. Many of you will hopefully have long careers with us but for those of you who decide to take a different path, we wish you the very best, and want you to know that Insulet will always have opportunities for you to explore.”

Upon completion of the course, students are eligible to interview for positions at Insulet, visit a local advanced manufacturing facility, and network with hiring managers and program alumni. After graduation, students receive their Certified Manufacturing Associate credentials through Tooling U and OSHA-10 certification.

MCC’s program also provides students with professional development and career training. Students gain access to career counseling, resume review, interview preparation, tutoring, and student support services. MassHire Lowell also connects students to career resources.

The goal of the program is to prepare Mass. job seekers for life sciences careers with hands-on experience using state-of-the-art equipment and industry-relevant instruction. Over eight weeks, Middlesex offers trainings in Advanced Manufacturing with Robotics and Automation. Students receive 120 hours of in-person learning and 30 hours of remote learning with Tooling U. Sessions cover the most current industry topics, such as lean manufacturing, industrial electricity, robotics and mechatronics.

“MCC’s Pathmaker program is a result of strong collaboration between the college, MLSC, MassHire and Insulet,” said Judy Burke, MCC’s Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Workforce Development. “The combination of comprehensive and relevant hands-on experience and industry-driven curriculum changes the lives of the students who graduate from the program and go directly into the workforce. We are proud of each cohort who complete their studies, pass their exam, and earn their certificate, and look forward to seeing what they’ll do next.”

The next session will run from Monday, September 28 through Thursday, November 19 in MCC’s robotics lab in Bedford. Each session takes place from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

Learn more about MCC's Pathmaker program or email Katy Gentile at GentileK@middlesex.edu with questions.