Career Readiness & Exploration Opportunities
Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD):
Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) is a member of the Community Action Network, established by the Economic Opportunity Act signed into law in 1964. This comprehensive initiative aimed to enhance the lives of all Americans, irrespective of their circumstances. As a community action agency, ABCD features a tripartite board made up of democratically elected representatives from the local private sector, public sector, and low-income community, selected by a local ABCD Advisory Board. Leaders from these groups work together to address the needs of our most underserved and at-risk neighbors.
Who Qualifies: Income-eligible Boston youth aged 18 to 24 who are not currently enrolled in high school or college and are not working full-time.
Level Up Your Career – And Your Life: Level Up is designed to help you discover, prepare for, and enter your desired career. You’ll enroll in a local college to pursue a certificate-level degree, with ABC offering tuition assistance, a paid internship, and childcare support, while you complete your studies. Additional support such as T passes, funds for IDs, and food is also available. The program includes workshops, field trips, and opportunities to network with industry professionals. You will receive personalized job counseling, resume writing assistance, job search support, and interview preparation. The focus areas of the program are high-demand fields such as health, early childhood education, human services.
Bonus: Participants who maintain at least an 80% attendance rate are guaranteed a paid SummerWorks job for the summer
To Learn More About ABCD Level Up, Click Here.
WorkSMART provides academic and social support to help you thrive in high school while exploring career opportunities through a paid internship.
Put your energy and ideas to work: They collaborate with public schools, local employers, community organizations, and others to support your high school graduation, further education, or job placement. WorkSMART helps you balance school and work while developing the skills and confidence needed to excel at both. During an 8-week internship, you’ll work 10 hours a week with a schedule that fits around your school hours. They’ll work with you to create a personal and career development plan and provide two hours of tutoring and counseling each week.
You’ll also have opportunities to enroll in college courses certificate training, and/or mentoring, with ongoing professional support throughout the academic year. They will make every effort to find a job that aligns with your interests. Participants are guaranteed a spot in the ABCD SummerWorks program and a yearly WorkSMART placement until you graduate high school.
To Learn More About WorkSMART, Click Here.
The Basics: ABCD offers positions at various worksites through Boston to help build skills and explore different career paths. Participants aged 14 to 18 will earn $15 per hour, while those aged 19 to 24 will earn $20 per hour. A limited number of positions are available at $16.25 per hour.
Who Qualifies: ABCD encourages Boston residents aged 14 to 24 to apply. Applications are open on March 1st each year. Note that some positions may require income eligibility. All youth must submit the required documents.
To qualify, you must be between 14 and 24 years old as of June 1, 2024.
Get Skills, Get Motivated, Get Paid: Develop valuable skills that will benefit you now and in the future, including: collaboration, leadership, financial education, workplace etiquette, and resume writing.
SummerWorks includes mentoring and career skills development, helping you explore various career paths such as healthcare, youth services, early childhood education, government, and business. Securing a job on your own can be challenging. By participating in ABCD SummerWorks, you can transition to adulthood with confidence, set yourself up for success in high school and college, and enhance your future earning potential.
To Learn More About SummerWorks, Click Here.
MassEdCO:
MassEdCO is Massachusetts’ largest provider of community-based education and career readiness services, assisting around 12,000 low-income, first-generation, underrepresented, and marginalized youth and adults annually. Their mission is to empower these individuals to reach their full potential through education and career readiness services. Their vision is to close the equity gap in postsecondary education for marginalized groups in Massachusetts.
GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is a federally funded initiative by MassEdCO and the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. This program motivates young people to set high expectations, remain in school, study diligently, and choose the right courses for college readiness. GEAR UP Massachusetts operates in select middle and high schools across Boston, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, New Bedford, Springfield, and Worcester.
Since its launch in September 1999, GEAR UP has supported students in grades 7-8 and 9-12, along with their parents, teachers, and guidance counselors. The program drives school-wide changes that enhance college awareness and preparedness.
GEAR UP Services Include:
-Early college and career awareness workshops
-MathPlus Accuplacer preparation
-Parent workshops on college admissions, financial aid, and career planning
-Career exploration activities, including interest inventories, research lessons, guest speakers, and job fairs
-Academic and recreational summer programs, such as the Annual GEAR UP Summer Leadership Institute and hands-on STEM projects
-Assistance with postsecondary financial aid forms like FAFSA, CSS Profile, and institutional forms
-Guidance on interpreting financial aid awards and identifying additional scholarship opportunities for families
To Learn More About GEAR UP, Click Here.
YouthBuild:
YouthBuild Boston (YBB) was established in 1990 to support underserved youth in gaining the skills and credential necessary for success in the construction and design industries.
YBB’s Mission:
YouthBuild Boston empowers young people of color by providing them with essential social, vocational, academic, and life skills to help them achieve self-sufficiency, community responsibility, and careers in the building sector.
YBB’s Vision:
YouthBuild Boston envisions a city abundant with opportunities for young people, along with a building trades sector that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. They aspire to foster a region with ample affordable housing and an economy that allows everyone to succeed.
This 6-9 month program combines academics and construction training for young people aged 17-24 who have not earned a high school diploma. Participants gain hands-on experience in construction and landscaping safety, tools, materials, techniques, and methods while preparing for the HiSET exam for their high school equivalency (HSE).
Benefits for All Participants:
-Bi-weekly stipend
-OSHA 10 certification
-First Aid/CPR certification
-NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research) certification
Successful participants can qualify for dual enrollment at local community colleges, allowing them to pursue advanced training or entry-level positions in the field.
To Learn More About Build Trades Exploration, Click Here.
The Center for Teen Empowerment:
The Center for Teen Empowerment believes in the ability of young people to create meaningful change in their communities. Operating in Boston and Somerville, MA, they take a distinctive approach by empowering youth to drive positive transformation. Their dedicated teams of youth organizers work year-round to identify key issues and develop strategies to tackle them.
Teen Empowerment’s Boston Youth Organizing Program has a strong presence at two program sites located in Roxbury and Dorchester.
TE aims to create safe, more inclusive communities where youth voices are valued and amplified. Their Core Youth Organizing Program equips youth to work in the human services sector and public service while representing their perspectives on community boards and councils.
Youth Organizers (YOs) Will:
-Lead social justice campaigns and art initiatives that reach an additional 2,000 youth
-Drive efforts to inform, mobilize, and develop strategies addressing community issues, institutional racism, and policy change
-Facilitate group meetings
-Engage in consensus-based decision-making with their peers
-Build partnerships for peace
Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston:
Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston (BGCB) is a unique space for the communities of Boston and Chelsea. BGCB is dedicated to developing tomorrow’s leaders by supporting communities today. As an organization, they have both the opportunity and responsibility to bridge the opportunity gap by confronting inequities directly. BGCB integrates its values and upholds principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion through its programs and initiatives, providing a safe space where children and teens can truly be themselves. Surrounded by positive mentors and role models, members are empowered to grow into happy, productive adults who make a meaningful impact as leaders in their communities and beyond.
BGCB recognizes the importance of creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for their members. Through innovative programming and dedicated mentorship, they strive to offer a safe haven where individuals from all backgrounds can thrive and develop into the leaders of tomorrow. They are continually evolving, listening, and learning to address the needs of their communities and ensure their members’ success.
Ready to Work (RTW) is a Workforce Development Initiative by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston. The program aims to:
-Equip teens with essential skills for success in the workforce, regardless of whether they pursue a four-year college degree
-Cultivate a new generation of thinkers and problem solvers ready to fill positions in industries growing within Boston’s evolving economy and beyond
-Provide youth and families in Boston and Chelsea with enhanced opportunities for career paths that promote economic mobility
-Foster relationships with the business community to connect motivated youth with organizations that value diversity and invest in staff development
-Educate workplaces about the talent present in communities they may not typically engage
Program Values:
Growth Mindset: Recognize that intelligence can be developed and skills can always improve
Accountability: Take responsibility for your actions and performance
Respect: Treat yourself and others with kindness, sincerity, and professionalism
Collaboration: Work with others to achieve positive outcomes
Network: Build professional relationships and identify mentors to support your future journey
The RTW Approach: Ready to Work adopts a comprehensive approach to prepare teens for entering the workforce, offering orientation and programs tailored to members’ interests
To Learn More About Ready to Work (RTW), Click Here.
Pathways Bridge to Healthcare Careers is a key initiative within BGCB’s Ready to Work (RTW) program. It offers Club Members a transformative experience in the healthcare field even before they graduate high school! This innovative program combines workshops, training sessions, and internships in the healthcare sector, allowing youth to explore and prepare for medical professions.
BHCC collaborates with local universities to provide teens with pre-college programs that offer valuable insights into the college experience and exposure to the demands of higher education. Additionally, in partnership with esteemed organizations like Kaplan and Let’s Get Ready, they offer SAT preparation to further support members on their path to academic success and career readiness.
Healthcare Careers Include:
-Nurse Practitioner
-Dentist
-EMT/Paramedic
-Dental Hygienist
-Physician
-Surgeon
-Anesthesiologist
-Physical Therapist
-Pharmacist
-Occupational Therapist
-Speech Pathologist
-Radiologist
To Learn More About Pathways Bridge to Healthcare Careers, Click Here.
YouthWorks:
Massachusetts is making investments throughout the state to develop a workforce that is ready for careers. Since 2007, over 42,000 young individuals have participated in the YouthWorks program, which provides subsidized employment opportunities in the summer and year-round for low-income youth in 31 communities across the Commonwealth.
Along with job placements, participants receive work-readiness training through the Signal Success curriculum, which enhances essential skills like collaboration, communication, dependability, and initiative–key competencies for success in work, school, and life (signalsuccess.org). The program aims to help teens secure unsubsidized employment by equipping them with the training and hands-on experience that align with employer expectations.
Gaining work experience is vital for the long-term success of young people and their communities. This is why Massachusetts invests in YouthWorks to create more job opportunities for teens and young adults. By helping young individuals develop the skills necessary for entering and thriving in the workforce, they also fulfill businesses’ need for a pipeline of skilled workers.
The Challenge:
-Teen employment in Massachusetts has decreased by nearly 50% since the late 1990s, a decline that exceeds the national trend
-Approximately half of today’s high school students lack job experiences, placing them at a significant disadvantage for the future
-Securing a job has become increasingly challenging for teenagers and young adults. Complicated online applications, including personality assessments and entry-level testing, as well as employers’ reliance on references and prior job experience, complicate the hiring process
-Employers often view youth work behaviors (such as attendance and punctuality) as inferior to those of adults, despite recognizing the value of the technological and hard skills young people offer
-Many young individuals are unprepared for employer screening processes and tests for entry-level roles, often unaware of the signals they send that may deter employers
The Opportunity:
-High school students who work 20 hours or less per week can earn 22% more annually later in their careers compared to those who do not work
-Early work experience often leads to higher-level job opportunities and access to employer-provided health insurance and retirement plans
-Students with longer, low-intensity (fewer than 20 hours per week) work experience during school are more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree than those who do not work
Research indicates that early work experience is beneficial. Massachusetts’ workforce is aging more rapidly than the national average, making it crucial that today’s teens and young adults are prepared to be the workers of tomorrow. To ensure that employers can find the skilled workers they need to sustain economic growth, young people must be given opportunities to learn the skills and behaviors that are expected in the workplace
To Learn More About YouthWorks: Guiding Teens and Young Adults Toward Employment, Click Here.