City’s Transitional Jobs Program Cambridge Works Graduates 18th Class

Cambridge Works, the city’s transitional jobs program for younger residents (age 18-35) who haven’t been able to get or keep jobs, celebrated its 18th graduating class during a special ceremony June 29 at Cambridge Public Library.

The highly successful program provides a temporary job with the City of Cambridge, and/or other partner employers, while also offering intensive case management, soft skills development and job search assistance to help participants secure an unsubsidized job upon program completion. Cambridge Works is coordinated through the Office of Workforce Development, a part of the Department of Human Services Program (DHSP).

For many participants of Cambridge Works, the job skills they learn, the experience they gain, and the support they receive from the staff and their peers can be life changing, affording them a much needed second chance in many cases. As part of the Cambridge Works ceremony, the staff speak about each of the participants and then the graduates themselves are given the opportunity to share their story and individual struggles, and most discuss how they overcame their particular challenges with the help of this program and the support of the staff.

During the ceremony, Vice Mayor Marc C. McGovern commended the group for their accomplishment and wished them great success in their journey.
Master of Ceremonies Richard Harding, a Program Coordinator at Cambridge Public Health Department added his thanks to the city administration and City Council for their longstanding support of this unique program that has made a tremendous difference to some younger Cambridge residents who needed a helping hand in developing work skills to give them a chance at success.

“I want to thank our Cambridge Works staff – this program is not just a job for them, it’s a passion,” said City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. “And to our graduates, never give up on yourselves because we won’t give up on you. The Cambridge Works staff will always be here to support you.”

The City Manager also thanked the worksites that hired the 11 precipitants by saying, “You are the backbone of the program. You are the ones teaching and reinforcing the job readiness skills that prepare graduates for the next step. We could not do this program without you.”

Below are some comments from graduates about what Cambridge Works did for them:

“I knew I had the potential to do better and needed a change. I heard about this program, showed up and worked hard with the staff who never gave up on me. Cambridge Works helped me earn the skills I needed to succeed.”

“I was going through a difficult time in my life and this program helped me change that.”

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Photo: Cambridge Works Graduates with Cambridge City staff and officials.