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Made in Massachusetts: CommCorp Celebrates Manufacturing Month

Did you know that October is Manufacturing Month? Massachusetts is home to a diverse group of nearly 7,000 manufacturers who produce everything from electronic ink to gluten-free goodies to robotics.

Promoting Success: Tips for Employers

Over the past few years, Commonwealth Corporation has been studying the underlying causes of the decline in youth employment.  In 2013, we published two studies with the Center for Labor Markets & Policy at Drexel University: Signaling Success: Boosting Teen Employment Prospects and Building Blocks of Labor Market Success.

Achieving Impactful Outcomes: Key Characteristics of Successful Sector Partnerships

Over the past 10 years we’ve invested Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund and other state and federal resources in more than 80 programs that have been designed and managed by regional industry sector partnerships.  Our goal for these investments has been to prepare and place Massachusetts residents who would not otherwise be considered to be strong candidates in jobs that are in demand by regional businesses.

Achieving Impactful Outcomes: Program Design with the End Goal in Mind

While the programs we fund take on different forms based on the needs of local businesses and job-seekers, we’ve seen a number of essential elements emerge as keys to success, such as employer-informed technical skills training and integrated support services.

Achieving Impactful Outcomes: What does it mean to be data-driven?

What does data driven-mean? And how do programs ensure they are doing it?  To us, data-driven is identifying and using data to help make decisions about the programs we fund.  In my 10 years of experience at CommCorp, I have come to learn the value of being data-driven.

Achieving Impactful Outcomes: Observations from WCTF

At CommCorp, we’re in the skills-building business. Across the Commonwealth, we design and execute workforce programs in partnership with businesses, educators, training providers and the workforce system. In this series, we are going to focus on key takeaways from our management of the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund (WCTF).

Demand-Driven Problem Solving Needed in Tight Labor Market

The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development recently announced that the Massachusetts unemployment rate dropped to 2.8%, the lowest rate of unemployment since January 2001.

Grant Helps LHMC Expand Role of Medical, Clinical Assistants

This blog features a story on Lahey Hospital and Medical Center (LHMC), one of the 59 grant projects being funded by the Health Care Workforce Transformation Fund (HCWTF). Grant funds […]

Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund Connects Workers to Employers

There has been a lot of buzz in the CommCorp halls about the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund: for the first time ever, it has a chance of being funded for a consecutive year. We are excited that this crucial program was included in Governor Baker’s budget because it supports a population in tremendous need and helps employers find skilled, motivated workers.

Employer Partnerships Are Key in YouthWorks

Since its inception in 1999, YouthWorks, Commonwealth Corporation’s summer job program for teens and young adults, has relied on employer partnerships. YouthWorks requires understanding employers who are willing to help coach young adults through what is often their first job. Without them, this program would be impossible.