Haverhill, MA (October 28, 2026) — Dozens of local leaders from Northern Essex Community College, Merrimack Health, and surrounding communities gathered this morning to celebrate the launch of NECC’s new Surgical Technology Associate Degree. The occasion featured a ribbon-cutting for two formerly closed operating rooms at Merrimack Health Haverhill Hospital. Those rooms have been renovated and turned into classrooms and labs, where students can get hands-on, real-world training.
The program is offered in partnership with Merrimack Health Haverhill Hospital and is supported by the Massachusetts Skills Capital Grant, as well as funding from the Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation and Accelerate the Future.
“The number one reason students come to us is to get a job and start their career. This program is going to be sustaining and rewarding for them and their families,” said Northern Essex Community College President Lane Glenn. “In addition to that connection for students, we have a commitment to the communities we serve; their economic vitality, the employers, our workforce. We want to be sure that we’re providing the pipeline of talent for that workforce, which contributes to our local economies.”
The program was created to address a critical need in the healthcare field in the Merrimack Valley and beyond. Surgical technologists play an essential role in supporting surgeons and the broader healthcare team before, during, and after procedures. Students train to perform duties such as maintaining medical supply inventories during operations, washing and sterilizing equipment, and cleaning and restocking operating rooms by gathering and organizing equipment, supplies, and instruments.
“In this partnership, we figured out how to build this beautiful lab space and open up a new program,” said Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation Senior Program Officer Marjorie Ringrose. “These jobs these students are training for are in highly skilled professions. In the Commonwealth, we don’t have enough of these professionals. So thank you for the opportunity to help you create something new and something that is not the norm in many spaces.”
“I truly believe, and Merrimack Health fully believes, that this is just the beginning. There are lots of opportunities for us and other disciplines to create opportunities like this for community members and for our workforce. We are proud to stand here with all of you today, as an example of what we can do when education, healthcare, and community partners come together,” remarked Anthony Alley, Merrimack Health’s Chief Nursing Executive & Quality Officer.
This program is the college’s first degree program offered in the apprenticeship model. It includes a mix of apprenticeship and non-apprenticeship seats. Currently, the apprenticeship seats are open to students who are employed by Merrimack Health. The first cohort of surgical technology students started this fall. A new cohort will begin in the fall of 2027, with the eventual plan of also adding a spring cohort. Students who complete the Surgical Technology degree program will qualify to take the certification exam required by the state of Massachusetts for employment as a surgical technologist.
About Apprenticeship Degrees
The apprenticeship degree model is new in Massachusetts but is gaining momentum nationwide. Apprenticeship degrees take a long-proven workforce development approach, common in careers such as plumbing and electrical trades, and apply it to new occupations where there is a significant and long-standing need for talent with post-secondary credentials. With this model, the learning takes place in both the classroom and at the workplace, and students earn both wages and credit while in the program. These programs open doors to high-demand careers for students who may need to work while they learn, while providing employers with a reliable, local pipeline of skilled talent.
About NECC
Northern Essex Community College, the first Federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution in New England, is an education leader for the Merrimack Valley. Through a supportive learning environment and cultural inclusion, NECC embraces all identities and inspires initiative and excellence through top-notch, affordable certificate and associate degree programs online and at campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence. NECC currently offers more than 60 programs of study. Visit necc.edu to learn more.
