Connecting Activities

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The MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board (MHBWB) has positioned itself as the regional lead in developing and coordinating all Career Readiness activities and programs for Berkshire County in-school and out-of-school youth.  The MHBWB has established Connecting Activities as the ‘overarching initiative’ that encompasses all regional career awareness, exploration and immersion activities and has continued to work to strengthen partnerships and collaborations among school-based-staff, school district administration, regional employers and community-based professionals in expanding the College & Career Readiness system throughout Berkshire County.

The MHBWB and its school district and community-based partners are committed to expanding the delivery of Work-Based-Learning and Career Readiness opportunities to students / youth in Berkshire County through the prioritization of the following strategies and focal areas:

• Continuously provide the Berkshire County community with information on the importance of Career Readiness
• Continuously provide information to the Berkshire business community on the need and benefits of their participation in Career Readiness
• Continuously promote the Berkshire Jobs4Youth Campaign in securing local employers financial and in-kind support of the region’s Career Readiness programs and activities
• Establish integrated College & Career Planning systems in all of the region’s school districts ensuring every student graduates with a College & Career Plan
• Provide all youth with Career Readiness opportunities
• Foster the further development of high school’s College & Career Centers & Career Readiness Teams
• Bring more private school institutions into the Berkshire CA Network
• Provide additional work readiness training opportunities in meeting the Berkshire business community’s need for skilled & reliable workers
• Continuously provide professional development opportunities for educators to further align industry skill sets and needs with local training programs and academic curriculum

Longstanding partners of the BWB including school districts, employers, CBO’s, social service agencies, higher education and economic development entities have played an integral role in supporting BWB staff with the abovementioned expansion of workforce services and resources to the residents and employers of the region. This extensive community-wide collaboration is unique to Berkshire County and serves as the catalyst for the consistent innovation and sharing among partners regarding all youth-related workforce development activities and programs under the Connecting Activities Initiative.  The BCREB’s extensive promotion of Connecting Activities and how it serves as a primary vehicle in driving the College & Career Readiness Initiative has resulted in a heightened regional recognition of the true importance of Connecting Activities and how it is a direct remedy in addressing the economic and population issues affecting Berkshire County.

• Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) – Connecting Activities  
• Integrating College & Career Readiness Task Force Report – DESE
• Massachusetts Work-Based-Learning Resources
• Massachusetts Signaling Success Career Readiness Curriculum 
• Career Development Education Guide & Glossary  
• Workplace Health & Safety Curriculum & Resources
• Mass Business Alliance for Education – Future Ready Campaign

• Career Readiness Professional Development Video 
• Connecting Activities / Career Readiness Informational Sheet
• Job Search & Career Development Online Resources
• Educator Resource for Virtual Internships
• Educator Resource for Virtual Career Awareness, Exploration & Immersion Experiences
• Local Career Awareness & Training Online Video Library
• Employer Engagement Information
• MassHire Berkshire Career Center Youth Services