OWD works with area businesses on a number of initiatives:
Business Advisory Committee
Our Business Advisory Committee (BAC) is made up of employers who offer their guidance to help us plan and promote efforts that increase the skills and training of current and future workers. BAC members are involved in carrying out the mission of OWD by:
- Fostering support for youth and adult employment and development initiatives
- Linking workforce development with local labor market needs
- Acting as ambassadors to others in the community to increase support for workforce development efforts
- Providing overall policy and program guidance to the Office of Workforce Development
Meetings are held quarterly, although ad hoc meetings may be scheduled to address particular issues or projects. Examples of projects include:
- Developing strategies and outreach materials for Cambridge's Summer Jobs Campaign
- Offering feedback on a soft skills curriculum for adult jobseekers
- Providing guidance on the development of youth and adult internships
The projects of the Office of Workforce Development change to reflect trends and priorities in the workforce development system. Business Advisory Committee members offer a business perspective on how to undertake these projects in a way that will meet the needs of employers. To get involved, please contact Sue Walsh at 617-349-6234 or swalsh@cambridgema.gov.
Community Youth Development: Invest in Cambridge Youth
Profit from Experience speakers bureau is a diverse group of business and community leaders who visit classrooms in Cambridge to discuss issues in their professions with students and their teachers.
There are many ways for businesses to help bridge the gap between the youth and adult worlds and to help young people better prepare for their own futures. Employers can become involved by:
- Volunteering to share their professional knowledge as a guest speaker
- Conducting a mock interview with a student
- Interviewing students for apporpriate job openings
- Hosting a job shadow
For more information or to become involved in youth development efforts in Cambridge, please contact Ken Bowers at 617-349-6272 or kbowers@cambridgema.gov.
Job Fairs
OWD sponsors multi-employer job fairs and can host an individual open house to assist you in your recruitment efforts.
The Cambridge Employment Program (CEP) provides career counseling and job placement assistance to more than 350 Cambridge residents every year. Our clientele includes demographically diverse adult men and women with a range of educational and work histories. CEP receives listings from dozens of local employers, and staff work hard to ensure that clients are matched with job opportunities that are appropriate to their skills, experience, and preferences. As needed, CEP can host on-site interviews for interested clients in a mutually convenient location. Successful placements create a win/win outcome: satisfied clients get the jobs they want, and participating businesses find the employees they need in less time than it would otherwise take, and at no additional cost to the business. more
