Join us for our final Words of Wisdom dinner of the year featuring Councilor Brian Worrell and Representative Chris Worrell.
10/10/2024
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Don’t miss our upcoming Government Affairs Forum with Massachusetts State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. Register now!
10/15/2024
9:45am - 11:00am
Bank of America
The Transportation First Series offers a platform to discuss the challenges faced by our region, with the input of experts and changemakers.
10/30/2024
2:30pm - 4:00pm
Hybrid | Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Go deeper than basic DEI training to achieve higher productivity, satisfaction, and revenue growth with our new corporate workshop.
Join our Transformational DEI Certificate! Our comprehensive learning & development offerings are designed to connect and grow strong leaders who lead both inside and out of the office.
Our Women’s Leadership Program enables you to take your leadership to the next level by arming you with the most in-demand leadership toolkit.
Our Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL) program provides emerging leaders with a socially conscious and civically engaged leadership toolkit, as well as the opportunity to apply their knowledge through experiential assignments.
City Awake empowers young professionals in a variety of ways that encourages these rising leaders to stay invested in the region’s future success.
We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).
The Fierce Urgency of Now Festival brings Boston’s diverse young professionals together with business leaders, organizations, and their peers to build connection, advance careers and ignite positive change.
09/14/2024 -
09/17/2024
Suffolk University - Sargent Hall
BIMA (the Boston Interactive Media Association) serves a vibrant community of like-minded professionals from agencies, brands, publishers, and ad-tech companies with business interests in the New England market.
For 30 years, the Chamber’s Women’s Network has connected female professionals of all background and career levels. Today, our Women’s Network is the largest in New England, strengthening the professional networks of women each year.
The Massachusetts Apprentice Network convenes employers, training providers, and talent sources interested in developing and implementing apprenticeship programs in occupations across industries and statewide in fields such as tech, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and more.
We support small business through public policy initiatives, events designed to connect small businesses in Greater Boston to their peers and established business leaders, professional development offerings, and free small business advising.
Explore our mission and values to better understand how we are leading the business community forward.
Our member directory is your resource to discover, connect, and engage with Boston’s businesses from every industry and sector.
June 13, 2023
Testimony of Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce President & CEO James E. Rooney
RE: H.531, An Act to increase student access to career technical education schools and programs which are aligned with regional labor market needs.
The chamber supports legislation aimed at growing and enhancing career/vocational technical education (CVTE) in the Commonwealth. Our members consistently provide us with a stark message: they need skilled workers. This need is not concentrated in one or two industries; it is widespread across the economy. CVTE helps close skills gaps to the benefit of employers and students– the state’s future employees.
The Chamber supports H.531, An Act to increase student access to career technical education schools and programs which are aligned with regional labor market needs. The bill proposes a new Office of Career Technical Education within the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) dedicated to improving skills development through CVTE and that is charged with promoting capacity expansion demonstration programs where students split time between their comprehensive high school and a school offering Chapter 74 programs. As the Commonwealth fights to retain talent here in the state, it is incumbent upon the state to re-prioritize technical education that provides vital experiential learning for those looking to grow their career.
CVTE is essential for the resilience of our workforce in Massachusetts and creates opportunities for ongoing economic growth and success. As employers increasingly seek diverse talent, CVTE provides a career pathway that meets growing labor market demands. The current labor market shows that, across industries, there is a shortage of the talent needed to fill skilled positions both immediately and in the long-term.
Additionally, the bill requires the office of career technical education to proactively determine labor market needs across Massachusetts and align technical education programs with regional demand. This ensures that employers in sectors that have the most in-demand jobs are given the most attention to combat the persistent labor shortages we have seen here in the state. A symbiotic relationship between the educational systems and the business community demonstrates the Commonwealth’s commitment to serving both its residents and its businesses and positions Massachusetts as a national leader in this space, enhancing opportunities for retaining talent, business, and education.
The Chamber also supports H.538 / S.274, An Act to improve access, opportunity, and capacity in Massachusetts vocational-technical education, filed by Representative Frank A. Moran and Senator Paul Feeney, because it includes several proposals that will expand CVTE schools’ footprint and increase enrollment. The proposals include a $3 billion bond authorization to replace and renovate CVTE infrastructure and to purchase modern training equipment. As student demand for CVTE programs continues to exceed the annual supply of CVTE seats, the Commonwealth should provide resources to vocational schools to overcome school building constraints and eliminate wait lists.
Download the letter
Popular Resources