Career pathways create Boston city jobs

Posted on October 1, 2017

Among many of the initiatives Boston city officials are working on, one includes the creation of Boston city jobs through career pathways from Boston public schools.

The Office of Workforce Development (OWD) and the Private Industry Council (PIC) will work with BPS high school students to create awareness of career opportunities within city government and to develop workplace and life skills, as well as specific skills relevant to working in various city departments.

BPS high school students will be eligible for internships that will help them gain the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare for entry-level positions that will support them while they pursue post-secondary education and training. This combination of work and learning will position BPS high school students and graduates for career advancement and the opportunity to secure positions in city agencies.

Other initiatives include the Mayor’s Tuition Free Community College Plan (TFCC), which has already enrolled 100 Boston high school graduates and will continue to grant three years of community college education tuition-free for low-income students.

The plan will expand again to include Boston students who have a HiSet/GED and Metco students, allowing additional Boston residents, who might not otherwise have had the opportunity, to pursue a college degree tuition-free. This expanded eligibility will be phased in starting in the Spring of 2018, and is funded through linkage fees generated by large-scale commercial building projects throughout Boston. The majority of TFCC participants come from the City’s Dorchester and Roxbury neighborhoods.