Next City disseminates nonprofit journalism on municipal best practices in social, economic, and environmental change. On June 28, the organization highlighted two Boston programs – the Greater Boston American Apprenticeship Initiative and Mayor Martin Walsh’s youth re-entry initiative, Operation Exit – as successful examples of promoting economic justice through apprenticeship. Both programs work with training partner Building Pathways to prepare participants for union apprenticeships in the building trades. Crucially, these apprenticeships offer starting pay above Boston’s living wage and provide built-in opportunities for wage advancement. For the various populations targeted by these programs – returning citizens, veterans, women, people of color – the chance to embark on a career with family-sustaining wages can be life changing. As Trinh Nguyen, the director of the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development, put it:
“If you want to build a great city, you have to make sure that everyone has a chance to thrive. That’s why the mayor has made it a priority that no one gets left behind as the city grows.”
Read the article to learn more. The article was written and contributed by PolicyLink, a research and action institute advancing economic and social equity.