Boston City Council Labor & Economic Development Committee Hearing on Docket #1391 – August 25, 2026

The committee, chaired by Councilor Worrell, held a hearing to consider accepting and expending a $12,855,000 Bloomberg Philanthropies grant for the Boston Skilled Trades Initiative. The grant, administered by the Office of Workforce Development in collaboration with Boston Public Schools and Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, aims to expand vocational training, pre-apprenticeships, and registered apprenticeships in construction, water utility management, and other skilled trades. The hearing lasted from 2:02 PM to approximately 3:40 PM and included testimony from administration officials, five public speakers, and questions from five councilors.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Sashia Green Williams (Action for Equity, lifelong Boston resident, BPS parent and graduate) expressed support for the investment but urged the city to also invest in upskilling working adults, arguing that youth and adult workforce development are not competing priorities. She called for measuring success by wage increases, promotions, and permanent quality jobs, not just program entry.
• Bridget Gray (CEO, The Possible Zone) testified in strong support. She cited data showing median net wealth of $947,000 for Massachusetts families with graduate degrees versus $1,100 for those without a high school diploma, and noted 88% of young people want non-degree paths. She highlighted her organization’s success in raising BPS on-time graduation rates by 15 percentage points and college matriculation by 16 percentage points, and urged support for scaling the model.
• Dr. Jay Simpson (Executive Director, Young Men with a Plan) thanked the committee and expressed full support, stating the initiative is a direct answer to what young people are asking for post-COVID. He offered to bring a panel of students to share their interest in trades.<br>
• Brian Hodge Mulina (Quality Homes Humankind) voiced support but raised two concerns: that the after-hours component should be deliverable at partner high schools beyond Madison Park, and requested the Office of Workforce Development report back within six months on participation data by neighborhood to ensure equitable reach.<br>
• Michael Gillen (Kind, youth-led initiative) supported the grant but expressed concern that the after-hours program at Madison Park would limit access for students from distant neighborhoods like East Boston and Hyde Park due to transportation and family responsibilities. He urged that after-hours training be offered at partner schools.<br>

Discussion Items

• Presentation by Chief Trin Wynne (Office of Workforce Development) outlined the grant: Boston was one of nine cities selected for Bloomberg’s $90 million national skilled trades initiative. The Boston Skilled Trades Initiative expands on Mayor Wu’s 2025 project labor agreement and serves 1,100 Madison Park students across 22 career technical programs. Four strategies: (1) build the pipeline at Madison Park (50–100 registered apprenticeship seats per year); (2) expand the pipeline to new trades (e.g., water utility management); (3) expand access via an after-hours program for BPS seniors from five partner high schools (Ruth Batson, Tech Boston, Boston International, Fenway, Boston Collaborative); (4) recruit 400–500 eighth graders citywide.<br>- Year zero results: 28 of 68 eligible seniors applied for a boot camp; 19 were selected by Building Pathways; 14 completed the program; 6 went directly into registered apprenticeships.<br>- Selection criteria: For the year zero cohort, Madison Park recommended students based on attendance, academic standing, and graduation track; students needed a driver’s license and passed a drug test. Building Pathways (a pre-apprenticeship program) conducted interviews and made final selections. Chair Worrell and Councilor Cole Pepper pressed for details on the selection process, including the number of students recommended (initially 35–36, then 28, then 19) and the criteria used by Building Pathways.<br>- Transportation and access: Assistant Superintendent Brett confirmed that for the after-hours program (Vocation by Madison), each partner high school will have a liaison to address barriers, and students will receive stipends and a meal. Transportation will be coordinated, but no rideshare specifically mentioned. The program is limited to BPS seniors in year one due to legal and permission form constraints.<br>- Trades covered: The grant focuses on registered apprenticeships in building trades (carpentry, electricity, HVAC, plumbing, metal fabrication, facilities management, and the newly approved construction craft labor). HVAC is included; culinary arts and elevator repair were not approved by Bloomberg despite advocacy. The administration noted they are pursuing other funding for those fields.<br>- Driver’s education: Funding exists in the grant, but Madison Park is struggling to find a driving school partner to deliver on-site. Councilor Worrell asked about paying for driver’s ed to remove the barrier.<br>- Reporting and tracking: Chief Wynne stated that all workforce development initiatives require performance outcomes, and Bloomberg’s independent evaluator will track enrollment, completion, placement, retention, and progression to journey person status. Apprenticeship navigators will be hired to support students beyond Madison Park.<br>- Councilor Flynn emphasized the importance of vocational education, asked about learning from other model schools (e.g., Worcester Tech), and raised the need for elevator maintenance training. He expressed support for HVAC training and noted the growing demand.<br>- Councilor Cole Pepper questioned the distribution of students across the four objectives, clarifying that only Madison Park students are served under objectives one and two, while objective three serves seniors from five other high schools. He requested a copy of the grant proposal and offered to help with co-op placements, noting Northeastern University’s willingness to partner with Madison Park.<br>- Councilor Fitzgerald inquired about the $50–150,000 funding for the BEST culinary program (Local 26), which is supported through other sources.<br>- Councilor Murphy asked about the selection process, tracking, and whether after-hours training could be offered at other schools. She noted that all BPS high schools are open to students citywide.<br>

Key Outcomes

• The committee expressed strong support for accepting the grant. Chair Worrell confirmed a vote will be taken the next day (August 26, 2026), with Councilor Flynn predicting a 13‑0 vote.<br>- Commitments made: The Office of Workforce Development will report back to the committee on participation data by neighborhood and provide the grant proposal to councilors. The after-hours program will have facilitators at each partner school to coordinate transportation. Driver’s education funding will be used once a partner is secured. Apprenticeship navigators will track students’ progress into registered apprenticeships and beyond.<br>- No formal vote occurred during the hearing; the matter was referred to the full council for approval.