Haverhill Opens Surgical Tech Training Pipeline
Healthcare employers in the Merrimack Valley can now recruit from a local apprenticeship-based surgical technology program.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Nursing Jobs
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Northern Essex Community College launched a surgical technology associate degree program in partnership with Merrimack Health Haverhill Hospital, with the first cohort starting in fall 2026. Students in the apprenticeship track are currently limited to Merrimack Health employees, opening a training pipeline for Haverhill-area healthcare employers.
Why it matters
The program targets a documented shortage of trained healthcare support staff in the Merrimack Valley, giving local hospitals a direct route to certified surgical technologists. It is the college's first degree program built on the apprenticeship model, so employers can train workers while those workers stay on payroll.
Two formerly closed operating rooms at Merrimack Health Haverhill Hospital were renovated into classrooms and labs for the program. The first cohort began in fall 2026, with the next scheduled for fall 2027, and the college plans to add a spring cohort eventually; enrollment totals and seat counts were not disclosed.
The players
Northern Essex Community College
A public community college in Massachusetts that offers associate degree and workforce training programs to the Merrimack Valley region.
Merrimack Health Haverhill Hospital
A Haverhill hospital that partners on the program and provides the renovated operating rooms and apprenticeship placements for its employees.
The details
Surgical technology students are trained to maintain medical supply inventories during operations, and to wash and sterilize equipment and clean and restock operating rooms. The apprenticeship model pairs classroom instruction with on-the-job work, and seats are currently open to students employed by Merrimack Health. Graduates become eligible for the Massachusetts surgical technologist certification exam.
Timeline
Fall 2026: first cohort of surgical technology students began classes.
Fall 2027: next cohort scheduled to start.
Program launch and ribbon-cutting took place Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
Market Landscape
The program is supported by the Massachusetts Skills Capital Grant alongside funding from the Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation and Accelerate the Future. It positions Northern Essex and Merrimack Health as a model for hospital-college apprenticeship partnerships in the Merrimack Valley.
Healthcare employers in Haverhill and the Merrimack Valley should evaluate whether the apprenticeship model could fill surgical technology roles through paid, on-the-job training. Staffing and HR teams at area hospitals may want to track the fall 2027 cohort as a source of certified candidates.
The takeaway
Operators in healthcare staffing should calendar the fall 2027 cohort and assess whether apprenticeship-based training fits their hiring plans. Employers may also consider whether a partnership like this one could reduce reliance on external recruiting for specialized support roles.
Further reading
For related openings, browse Nursing Jobs to see how healthcare employers in the region are recruiting clinical support staff.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Daily News of Newburyport.
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