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Dear Partners,
As we head towards the end of 2024 and look ahead to 2025, I’d like to reflect on the meaningful progress we’ve achieved together this past year. Thanks to our strong collaboration and shared dedication, we’ve been able to support many residents, businesses, and communities throughout the Metro North region towards our vision of a more thriving, inclusive, and resilient regional economy.
Looking forward, we remain fully committed to advancing workforce solutions that cultivate a skilled workforce, support businesses, and ensure equitable access to quality career pathways for all in our region. In this time of uncertainty, our partnerships with you all become all the more vital and critical to achieving our shared goals and missions.
MassHire Metro North Workforce Board will continue to center partnerships, resource development, and advocating for workforce solutions in all that we do. Together, we’re creating lasting impact and building a brighter future for our community.
Best regards,
Chris Albrizio-Lee, President & CEO
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Meet Our Newest Staff Members!
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Mikayla Konopka
MassHire Metro North Workforce Board
NAMC Career Advisor
Mikayla Konopka joined the MNWB in September as a Career Advisor for the Northeast Advanced Manufacturing Consortium (NAMC). Mikayla’s experience includes roles as a Career Exploration Coordinator at a community college and as a Senior Career Specialist with a nonprofit. She focused on connecting students to internships, career exploration programs, and career readiness development. Mikayla has worked with employers across industries, organized career events of varying scales, and supervised students in internships and community-based job programs. Mikayla holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Michigan State University and a Master’s degree in Social Work from Boston College. Originally from Michigan, Mikayla enjoys outdoor activities like hiking the scenic trails of Massachusetts.
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Caitlin FrenchMassHire Metro North Workforce Board
Communications Coordinator
Caitlin French joined the MWNB in September as a Communications Coordinator. Prior to joining MassHire, Caitlin worked as a Communications & Marketing Coordinator for Youth Enrichment Services in Boston, MA. Caitlin graduated with honors from St. Lawrence University in 2023, earning a BA in Business in the Liberal Arts and Performance and Communication Arts with a concentration in Rhetoric. Caitlin has always enjoyed giving back to her community, and she is passionate about using her creative and strategic skillset to elevate MNWB’s mission. Outside of work, Caitlin enjoys making music, exploring the outdoors (especially the Green Mountains), getting active, crafting, and spending time with friends and family.
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Alex Cain
MassHire Metro North Workforce Board
NAMC Career Advisor
Alex Cain joined MNWB in November as a Career Advisor for the Northeast Advanced Manufacturing Consortium (NAMC). He brings nearly 25 years of academic expertise, including leadership roles at three Career and Technical Education (CTE) institutions. With a strong background in developing and launching CTE programs in allied health and skilled trades, Alex is dedicated to creating meaningful career pathways for students in the Merrimack Valley. His experience includes advancing student support initiatives that improve retention, graduation rates, and satisfaction among students and faculty. Alex has a passion for working with international, first-generation, and underserved students, leveraging partnerships to help them achieve career success. In his new role, Alex will focus on developing CTE curricula, identifying career pathways, and collaborating with local high schools and industry partners to empower students to pursue careers in advanced manufacturing.
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Meet Our Newest Board Member!
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Kristen McKenna
Bunker Hill Community College
Dean of Workforce and Economic Development
Kristen P. McKenna has been involved in education and workforce development for 25 years, working in K-12, preschool, corporate, adult education, and higher education across RI, NH, MA, and VA. Currently, she is the Dean of Workforce and Economic Development at Bunker Hill Community College. She is a 2021 graduate of LeadBoston, a YWCA Leadership Institute. Previously, she served as the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs at River Valley Community College in Lebanon, NH. Ms. McKenna was also the Career Pathways Manager for Governor Raimondo's Workforce Investment Board in RI. Kristen holds a Master’s in Higher Education Administration from Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, MA, and a BFA from Rhode Island College in Providence, RI.
Serving on the MassHire Metro North Workforce Board is a valuable opportunity for her to integrate her experience in higher education and workforce development.
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Building Pathways: Hospitality Training Programs
Since 2017, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission has invested $3.1 million in workforce development initiatives across Greater Boston through the Community Mitigation Fund. This funding has enabled the Metro Boston Regional Hospitality Consortium (MBRHC) to equip underemployed and unemployed hospitality workers with essential skills and training, preparing them for quality job opportunities and addressing hiring needs in the hospitality industry, including at Encore Boston Harbor.
On October 3, 2024, the MassHire Metro North Workforce Board hosted a showcase for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. During the event, partners toured the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center and the International Institute of New England—two of the nine community organizations supported by the Community Mitigation Fund. These partners deliver vital services such as community engagement, contextualized ESOL training, occupational skills training, digital literacy, job readiness, career counseling, and more.
The event featured presentations from all nine Community-Based Organizations (CBOs): Action 4 Equity (A4E), Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC), BEST Hospitality, Community Work Services (CWS), International Institute of New England (IINE), La Colaborativa, New England Culinary Arts Training (NECAT), Somerville Community Corporation (SCC), and YMCA-Greater Boston.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commissioners highlighted the essential role of these programs in strengthening the hospitality workforce and celebrated the dedication and accomplishments of each organization.
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Job Corps Shares Training Opportunities
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MassHire Metro North staff held another successful MOU WIOA Partners meeting in September. During the meeting, Job Corps presented on their free, residential career training and education program. Designed for low-income young adults aged 16 to 24, Job Corps offers training in 10 high-demand industries, providing valuable opportunities for skill development and career growth.
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Bioversity Opens Doors to Free Life Sciences Career Training
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Our STEM partner, Bioversity, recently hosted a tour for WIOA Youth partners and program participants. Attendees explored the facility, learned about Bioversity’s free life sciences training program, and got a glimpse of the classroom experience.
Bioversity currently offers a free 8-week workforce training program, Biotech Career Foundations, in partnership with Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Boston and UMass Lowell in Lowell. This certificate program equips local residents for entry-level careers in Massachusetts life sciences companies—no science background required!
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How ESOL Classes Empower Metro North Communities
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The MassHire Skill Building program, funded by the City of Somerville's ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) grant, successfully concluded on September 30, 2024. Through this initiative, 81 students completed ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes offered by The Welcome Project (TWP) and the Somerville Center for Adult Learning Experiences (SCALE). The MNWB Skill Building program was designed to help Somerville residents and employees of local small businesses enhance their English skills and achieve greater opportunities.
Why are ESOL classes vital for communities in Metro North Massachusetts? In this video, we hear from community partners offering ESOL classes in Somerville and a local business owner whose employees benefited from the program. Special thanks to SCALE, TWP, Rincón Mexicano, and the City of Somerville for making this possible!
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2024 Metro North STEM Week was a great success. With 13 events, over 275 students who participated, and 10 employers, STEM week was full of learning, innovation, and inspiration! See below for photos and more information about the events that took place this STEM week!
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Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler visited Boston Career Institute of Malden - an organization we proudly support. BCI provides quality health career education to help individuals reach their full potential and secure employment in their field of study - in the shortest time possible. With Dental Assistant, Medical Assistant, Phlebotomy, Medical Office Administration, and Hospital Central Service Technical programs, BCI students earn the skills and credentials to kickstart new careers with confidence. It was a pleasure visiting the Boston Career Institute of Malden this STEM week, speaking with students, and observing the hard work and passion that goes into this hands-on learning environment.
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Mariah Mulcahy has been an EMT for over 15 years. Now, she also works as the Manager of Workplace Experience and Community Outreach at Cataldo Ambulance Service. As part of Massachusetts STEM week, Mulcahy spoke to more than 40 students at Malden High School about her experience as a first responder, explained the benefits of EMT work when pursuing a career in the medical field, gave students a tour of the ambulance and common EMT equipment, and fielded questions about her work. Thank you, Mariah, for providing such an engaging, fun, and inspiring conversation about what it means to be an EMT!
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Positive moments exist "where you're learning about yourself and how you interact with the world," said Brian Madrigal from Lab Central during this STEM Week career panel. Over 40 Malden High School students heard from Madrigal and three other STEM professionals at this event: Liam Tait from New England Aquarium, Annie Spangenberger from Interfluve, and Jahziel Chase, a PhD student at Northeastern University. Students received advice about pursuing careers in STEM, learned what a typical day looks like at these organizations and institutions, and heard tips on navigating life's challenges. From turning negative moments into positive ones, working hard, and being yourself, our panelists dropped several tokens of wisdom at this special STEM event. Thank you to our panelists for sharing your stories with these students for an engaging and inspiring conversation.
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Students also had the opportunity to participate in an exciting field trip to Gloucester Biotechnology Academy. During the visit, students had the opportunity to engage in hands-on learning, where they were taught how to prepare, run, and clean a sequencing instrument. They also received an introduction to sequencing data, giving them insight into how the technology is used in real-world biotech applications. Students from local high schools also heard from several professionals working in STEM fields including Marja from Mystic River Watershed, Bryce from the National Weather Service, Sondra from Interfluve, and more. Thank you to all of the STEM professionals who took the time to share their knowledge and expertise during this year's STEM week!
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Free Citizenship Classes at The Immigrant Learning Center
The Immigrant Learning Center offers free citizenship classes for students with basic English skills who want to improve their English and prepare for the citizenship exam and interview.
- In-Person Classes: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM at 442 Main Street, Malden, MA
- Online Citizenship Program: Flexible schedule, designed for those unable to attend in person.
The ILC’s Online Citizenship Program is managed by a teacher and taught by experienced volunteers.
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The Cambridge Community Learning Center offers a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Training Program designed for individuals learning English. This program prepares participants for jobs in hospitals or clinics and includes English and math classes.
Graduates earn:
- Home Health Aide (HHA) Certificate
- Alzheimer’s/Dementia Care Certificate
- CPR/AED Certificate
- Certificate of Completion for Nursing Assistant Training Program at Labouré College of Healthcare
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Labor Market Information
(Click picture below to open report file)
This quarterly job seeker report aims to provide insightful analysis of the current labor market trends in the Metro North region. Whether you are a business leader, job seeker, or community member, you'll find valuable information to help you understand and navigate the local employment landscape. We cover key topics such as unemployment trends, top occupations, job posting data, and the most sought-after skills.
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Labor Market Data Request Form
MassHire Metro North Workforce Board is proud to support the work of the workforce development, education, and economic development organizations in our communities. We are happy to provide labor market information to inform programmatic decisions or endorse grant applications. Partners who would like to request labor market information, reports, or access to data must complete the following Labor Market Data Request Form.
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We’re thrilled to announce the grand opening of the newly relocated MassHire Metro North Career Center in Woburn, now at 800 W Cummings Park, Suite 6400!
This new space is designed with accessibility in mind, offering better access to public transportation, ample free parking, elevators, and adaptive technology to serve job seekers of all abilities.
The grand opening event on Friday, October 11th brought together community leaders, workforce development advocates, and local officials to celebrate this milestone. Highlights included inspiring speeches:
- MA State Senator Cindy Friedman emphasized the critical need to fund workforce development initiatives that lead to sustainable careers for Massachusetts residents.
- ABCD President & CEO Sharon Scott-Chandler praised the center’s enhanced accessibility and expanded resources.
- Alysia Ordway, Undersecretary for Workforce Development, shared her personal journey with unemployment, reminding us of the power of empathy in supporting job seekers.
- Ron Marlow, VP of ABCD Workforce Development, highlighted the center’s role in providing a safety net and resources to the community.
- Chris Albrizio-Lee, MassHire Metro North Workforce Board, celebrated the collaboration between ABCD, the Workforce Board, and the career centers.
- Mayor Mike Concannon spoke about the positive impact the Woburn Career Center will have on the community.
A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated Career Center staff for their tireless efforts in empowering job seekers!
MassHire Metro North Career Centers are now located in Cambridge, Chelsea, Woburn, and soon to be Malden.
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A full calendar of upcoming meetings can be found HERE
January 10, 2025: Board of Directors Meeting, 10:30AM-12:00PM (ZOOM)
February 12, 2025: Quarterly Board Meeting, 8:30AM-10:30AM (ZOOM)
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Connect with us on social media!
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