Haverhill, MA (June 23, 2026) — Massachusetts Secretary of Education Stephen Zrike made his first visit to Northern Essex Community College since his appointment to the role earlier this year. Secretary Zrike met with college leadership to discuss several topics, including the college’s initiatives to address critical workforce needs and increase degree attainment, such as CTE/Early College partnerships, apprenticeships and workforce development programs.
Leadership also shared plans for the creation of a Fabrication Lab on the Haverhill Campus. The 7,000+ sq. ft. shovel‐ready, modular, cost‐effective facility is designed to deliver integrated, hands‐on learning across multiple high‐demand technical pathways. Secretary Zrike’s visit concluded with a tour of the soon-to-be-completed Tech Tower: three floors of innovation labs dedicated to employer-aligned technical education.
Inside one of the labs under construction in NECC’s Tech Tower
