Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | October 6, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 29 Photo caption: (from top left, clockwise) Liz Hamilton, Boys & Girls Club of Worcester; Trish Appert, Friendly House; Tiffany Lillie, Girls Inc. of Worcester; Samuel Martin, Worcester Youth Center; Tim Garvin, United Way of Central Massachusetts; David Connell, YMCA of Central Massachusetts; and Debbie Hall, YWCA Central Massachusetts BY LIZ HAMILTON, TRISH APPERT, TIFFANY LILLIE, SAMUEL MARTIN, TIM GARVIN, DAVID CONNELL, AND DEBBIE HALL Special to WBJ A s Worcester works to continue its evolution into a vibrant, diverse regional hub, one truth stands out: the future of our economy depends on the strength, resilience, and readiness of the next generation. e good news? A powerful, homegrown solution is al- ready at work. It's called YouthConnect, and we're chang- ing the game for both young people and local businesses. Amid workforce shortages, high turnover, and rising hiring costs, Worcester businesses face real labor challeng- es. e solution is already here: a diverse, motivated local talent pool ready to contribute. What our teens and young adults need is access, preparation, mentorship, and oppor- tunity, exactly what YouthConnect delivers year-round, at free or reduced cost depending on a family's situation. YouthConnect is a coalition of Worcester's community organizations, including the YWCA Central Massachu- setts, Worcester Youth Center, YMCA of Central Massa- chusetts, Girls Inc. of Worcester, United Way of Central Massachusetts, Friendly House, and the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester. Over the past year, this partnership has pre- pared 1,000+ young people for careers in industries like healthcare, retail, hospitality, trades, and beyond. Supporting YouthConnect isn't charity. It's workforce development. It's talent cultivation. It's economic invest- ment. And it's a strategic move for any Worcester em- ployer serious about solving workforce challenges while strengthening the community. By supporting YouthConnect, businesses can build a diverse, local talent pipeline while helping to reduce workforce shortages in critical industries. ese part- nerships strengthen recruitment and retention efforts through deeper community alignment and demonstrate meaningful leadership in corporate social responsibility. e return on investment? A stronger workforce, a more resilient economy, and a city where young people and businesses can thrive. Worcester businesses can make a meaningful impact by sponsoring employment or certification programs, or by hosting youth interns and career exploration visits. You can support the next generation by offering mentors, workshop leaders, or guest speakers to share industry insight and guidance. e workforce of tomorrow is here. Let's invest in it today. Worcester's future workforce Stretch voc-tech training resources to meet the demand O ne thing all stakeholders agree on: Massachusetts needs more spots for students who want to attend vocational-technical high schools, and employers in manufacturing, the trades, and health care need a more robust pipeline of qualified candidates. Amid all the hubbub this summer over how voc- tech schools choose their students, the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators said up to 11,000 students annually are waiting for a spot at one of the 97 schools offering vocational education, which combined had 57,589 students enrolled in the 2024- 2025 school year. While the state figures out ways to create more seats at vocational-technical schools and in vocational programs at regular high schools, the Healey Administration over the summer changed the admissions process to a lottery system, where less weight is given to a student's academic and disciplinary record. e lottery system – while far from perfect – is meant to help increase access for students who are not as academically inclined. At their heart, vocational schools are meant to be places where students can obtain the skills – and perhaps the certification – necessary to enter a profession right out of high school. e schools can be ready partners for industry to develop the kind of training to support today's needs, as WBJ Managing Editor Eric Casey writes in his story "Accessing a vocation" on page 8. e American education system for decades has focused on preparing students for college, and technical high schools are increasingly seen as stepping stones to college-educated careers in IT, biotechnology, and finance. One of the reasons for the state's new lottery system is that of all the Worcester high schools, Worcester Technical High School had the highest percentage (61.1%) of students matriculating to college following the 2023- 2024 school year, according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. How do we close that gap for students wanting to access technical training? Building more schools that offer technical training, be that a new technical high school, or like Worcester's new Doherty High School, a regular high school with significant technical training facilities and programs, will take time. However, there are a number of technical training programs being offered to non-traditional students, like Worcester's Night Life program, Fitchburg's Monty Tech Monty Tech Continuing Ed program, Blackstone Valley Tech and the BV Hub for Workforce Development, just to name a few. e Technology Learning Center in Oxford is another example of a training resource helping prepare our workforce for today's job opportunities. Building more school-based facilities will take time, but all those students deserve the opportunity to access the kind of classes to prepare them for good-paying jobs requiring a four-year college degree. Expanding training resources by maximizing existing facilities and programs should be today's priority. The Worcester Business Journal welcomes letters to the editor and commentary submissions. Please send submissions to Brad Kane, editor, at bkane@wbjournal.com. W W

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