LYNN — Lynn officials and Massachusetts legislators gathered virtually on Aug. 6 to discuss future employment opportunities for local youth.
During the meeting, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) and the MA Commonwealth Corporation launched a dialogue regarding its upcoming Youth Employment Gateway Cities Learning Community Pilot, set to take place in Summer 2026.
The program calls for “municipal leaders and workforce boards to build coordinated regional teams focused on expanding summer employment opportunities for youth, particularly looking at gateway cities where systemic barriers often hinder entry into the workforce.”
Lynn Mayor Jared C. Nicholson said his team is “excited about the initiative.
“It has been a huge focus for us, and we’ve had a lot of positive momentum in growing our program,” he said, referring to Lynn’s current summer youth employment program.
Nicholson also recommended that the EOLWD’s upcoming pilot program include school credit for students for their work experience.
“We have a very ambitious population that is working while they’re going to school, and that often draws them from school. Not because they don’t want to learn and grow, but because they have competing priorities,” he said.
The suggestion was “duly noted” by MA Commonwealth Undersecretary of Workforce Development Alysia Ordway, who said the program intends to “work together to bridge systemic barriers on behalf of young people so that their experiences are integrated as well.”
Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said the upcoming summer youth jobs initiative is structured to use a “more engaged model” to “better understand and serve teenagers who not only need to work, but oftentimes want to work.” She also urged local leaders to use their expertise to find ways to best engage and recruit employers to meet the needs of their region in both the short term and long term.
The pilot program will engage up to four teams comprising a MassHire Workforce Board to partner with 1-2 gateway cities in their region and at least one anchor employer in order to supervise work-based learning experiences for youth. Selected teams will receive $50-75k to strategize and implement youth employment engagement activities, and to analyze the outcome of these activities to scale both subsidized and employer paid job placements.
Nicholson expressed the City of Lynn’s interest in applying to the Youth Employment Gateway Cities Learning Community Pilot program.
“We have been thrilled with the success of our summer youth jobs program and very much appreciate the Commonwealth Corporation for highlighting this issue and featuring Lynn’s innovative work,” he said to The Daily Item in a statement.
“We will absolutely be seeking to participate in the new learning community pilot program that they announced today to help cities improve access to summer jobs opportunities,” said Nicholson.
