Boston: Mayor Wu Highlights Partnership with Madison Park to Offer Student Co-Op Opportunities in the City

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Today, Mayor Michelle Wu highlighted the success of the Madison Park Co-op Initiative, a partnership between the Office of Workforce Development (OWD) and Madison Park Technical Vocational High School (MPTVHS) to expand Cooperative Education (Co-op) opportunities across City departments. This new partnership creates a pipeline for students to gain exposure to municipal careers that align with their vocational studies. Through hands-on, career-connected learning, students gain real-world work experience, develop industry-aligned skills, and earn a good wage, all while continuing their high school education. The expansion of MPTVHS's Co-op program reflects the City's commitment to building equitable workforce pathways for Boston youth. Funding and technical assistance for this initiative were made possible through an investment from the Office of Workforce Development.

"The Madison Park Co-op Initiative will provide our young leaders with hands-on experience that allows for long-term success and encourages lifelong learning," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "This partnership between City departments and Madison Park High School enables students to continue their education while developing new skills. We are proud to invest in resources that provide individualized support, tailored to meet the needs of the next generation of leaders."

Madison Park Technical Vocational High School is Boston's only technical vocational high school. With 20 Career and Technical Education programs across the health sciences, communications and technology, construction, human services, and transportation sectors, MPTVHS provides rising juniors and seniors with a unique blend of hands-on learning and real-world experience through the Cooperative Education Program. Co-ops are especially critical for vocational students, as they bridge classroom learning with meaningful employment in their chosen fields. Students not only strengthen their technical skills but also develop professional habits, workplace confidence, and a clearer sense of career direction. These experiences help students make informed decisions about their future, whether it's pursuing postsecondary education, job training, or entering the workforce.

"Our students in Boston are among the most talented and driven young people in our state, ready to contribute to the future workforce of our city," said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper. "This partnership ensures they have the opportunities to do so. By opening doors across city departments, we are providing our students with meaningful pathways to apply their skills, explore future careers, and see themselves as leaders in Boston's workforce. This initiative reflects the shared commitment of Boston Public Schools and the City of Boston to provide every student with access to hands-on, career-connected learning that prepares them for success beyond graduation."

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Led by the Worker Empowerment Cabinet, OWD funds programs that promote workforce development to ensure the full participation of all Boston residents in the city's economic vitality and future. Expanding economic opportunities for youth through access to quality jobs, skills training, and career pipelines is a key priority. Co-op students are paid $24 an hour, a sustainable income well above Boston's living wage.

"We strive to develop accessible, innovative, proven workforce development models to connect our youth to economic mobility and high-quality jobs," said Chief of Worker Empowerment, Trinh Nguyen. "This Co-op program offers students the opportunity to deepen their learning and earn an income, which often allows them to contribute to their households. Moreover, employers gain access to tomorrow's talent today, creating a sustainable career pipeline for Boston's future workforce.

This year, the pilot cohort has been placed in three City of Boston departments:
During the summer, students worked full-time, approximately 40 hours a week. During the school year, they follow a month-on-month-off schedule, alternating between academic weeks and vocational weeks. Under the careful supervision of industry experts, the students are learning industry-recognized skills through meaningful professional work experiences while making instrumental contributions to their assigned departments. Zabdiel, a co-op student working in the Property Management Department's Alterations and Repairs division, has been honing his carpentry skills working with PMD's in-house carpenters on the myriad of projects that come his way in the City's municipal buildings and community centers. In his "downtime," he has taken on the monster task of improving the shop, building custom shelving for the plumbing division, and constructing several wooden boxes to help organize supplies.

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"Working with Zabdiel is exciting. He is a bright, kind, hardworking, and motivated young man truly interested in working in the trades," Ian Cubie, Property Management Foreman, reflected. "The Madison Park Co-op program is helping to bridge a vital gap between education and experience in the workforce. Not only is Zabdiel learning practical skills in a real-world setting, but he is also developing problem-solving and critical-thinking skills and learning the importance of teamwork and accountability from a young age. The City of Boston is lucky to have him."

"Joining Co-op has been one of the greatest decisions I've made," said Co-op Student Zabdiel. "It's an opportunity to expand and apply the skills you've learned from your vocation to your work projects. Co-op has opened my eyes to the actual responsibilities a worker will have, especially when it aligns with a desired career path. It's something I wish everyone could join. This type of experience is unique in its approach, providing students guidance and support from both the school and work site as we learn to navigate new pathways."

The City of Boston invites private and public employers to partner with MPTVHS to hire Co-op students. The Co-op program offers numerous benefits for employers, including access to a trained pool of future leaders and a cost-effective way to address hiring demands. As employer partners, organizations will build a strong connection with students who may become valuable future employees. In addition, this offers Boston youth expanded opportunities for career exploration in a wide range of industries. Organizations interested in becoming employer partners for the 2026-2027 school year can email Mike Norris at mnorris@bostonpublicschools.org.

"Lan-Tel Communications has been a partner of the MPVT Co-op program for many years," said Eric Johnson, Project Manager in the Public Safety Division at Lan-Tel Communications. "MPTVHS has a strong reputation in the community for producing students who are ready for the workforce. We value accepting students who may not be interested in traditional four-year college paths, but want strong career-focused employment in the IBEW Local 103."

"McDonald Electrical is proud to partner with Madison Park Vocational Technical School in helping Boston students build bright futures in the skilled trades," said Tom Cooney, Vice President of McDonald Electrical Corporation. "The co-op program has introduced us to exceptional young talent, many of whom have become full-time employees of McDonald Electrical and valued members of IBEW Local 103. We're honored to support the next generation of electricians and to strengthen this important community partnership."

Learn more about the Madison Park Co-op Initiative at boston.gov/madison-coop.

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