~ Boston's Office of Workforce Development and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council marked the conclusion of the four-year Good Jobs Metro Boston Coalition at a celebration on Aug. 25, recognizing the employers, training providers and community organizations involved.

The initiative aimed to train and place 4,618 unemployed and underemployed residents in healthcare, clean energy and child care. It received a $23 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration. The city also invested $24 million in job training across sectors during the grant period.

Coalition partners enrolled more than 6,000 people in funded training programs and placed more than 4,500 in jobs, according to the announcement. More than 3,500 placements were directly supported by EDA funding. The coalition engaged more than 300 employers and funded 27 training programs offering 59 pathways. Partners are still collecting final placement data.

"Over the past four years, we have supported over 4,000 workers in pathways to quality jobs with living wages, benefits, and career advancement opportunities," Chief of Worker Empowerment Trinh said. Trinh credited Mayor Michelle Wu's leadership and the commitment of employers, training providers, support providers and industry stakeholders.

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At the event, Beth Israel Lahey Health Assistant Vice President of Workforce Development Joanne Pokaski said the investment increased the health system's staffing capacity in critical roles and supported employees' career development. Three graduates—Boston EMS EMT Jordy Gonzalez, lead teacher Mackendy Saveur and contractor Nacius Magis—also discussed their experiences in a panel.

The Boston Healthcare Careers Consortium, Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology and CAYL Institute developed and carried out strategies for the healthcare, clean energy and child care sectors, respectively, the announcement said. Employers included Mass General Brigham, Beth Israel Lahey Health, Boston EMS, Schneider Electric, Homeworks Energy, Bozzuto, Little Sprouts, the YMCA and Action for Boston Community Development.

Mass General Brigham said it hired more than 1,000 people through the effort. Kristin Driscoll, the health system's executive director of workforce development, said the initiative helped expand access to healthcare careers and address staffing needs as the industry emerged from the pandemic.

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