Empowering Tomorrow’s Talent, Today

 

The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Foundation is committed to building a stronger, more inclusive workforce for our region. Through innovative partnerships and forward-thinking initiatives, we connect emerging talent with meaningful career pathways, empower young professionals to lead, and strengthen the bridge between education and industry.

Our Workforce Development efforts focus on cultivating opportunity, equity, and leadership across Greater Boston to ensure that the next generation is prepared to thrive.

 

Support our Initiatives

Workforce Development Initiatives

City Awake event in Boston Public Garden
City Awake event in Boston Public Garden

City Awake

City Awake is the Chamber Foundation’s signature talent retention program, designed for Boston’s young professionals in their 20s and 30s. It brings together emerging leaders from diverse industries and backgrounds to expand their networks, strengthen civic engagement, and shape a more inclusive, vibrant region.

Through dynamic events, cross-sector collaboration, and meaningful programming, City Awake helps young professionals build social capital, forge connections across industries, and find new ways to contribute to their communities. Whether you’re looking to grow your professional network, engage in civic leadership, or be part of Boston’s future, City Awake is where rising leaders come together to make an impact.

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MA Apprentice Network event
MA Apprentice Network event

Massachusetts Apprentice Network

Launched in 2022, the Massachusetts Apprentice Network expands apprenticeship opportunities beyond traditional trades. It convenes employers, training providers, and talent sources across industries such as tech, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and financial services to create new pathways for emerging talent.

Employers who join the Network gain access to a diverse and motivated talent pool, build connections with vetted partners, and participate in a learning community committed to high-quality apprenticeship programs. With a goal of placing 1,000 apprentices by 2027, the Network is helping reshape how businesses source and develop skilled talent while demonstrating leadership in inclusive workforce development.

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Business executive interacting with BPS students during Principal Partners event
Business executive interacting with BPS students during Principal Partners event

Partnership with Boston Public Schools

A well-designed partnership between the Boston business community and the public school system is essential to educating Boston’s youth and building the workforce of the future. Through our Principal Partners and Financial Literacy initiatives, the Chamber Foundation invites Greater Boston employers to collaborate with Boston Public Schools leaders and students.

This partnership provides career-connected learning experiences, aligned skills development, and increased capacity for school leaders. By engaging with BPS, business leaders help strengthen communities and ensure that students are equipped with the tools and opportunities to succeed in a rapidly evolving economy.

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Our Impact

605

apprentices placed since 2022

91%

retention rate post-apprenticeship (apprentices hired by employers)

93

business and civic leaders have engaged with Boston Public School leaders and students as part of Principal Partners

The Latest in Workforce Development

City Awake
City Awake

Social Experience: The Backyard Bash on the Common

Oct 09, 20255:00pm9:00pmThe Boston Common at Parkman Bandstand

Connect with fellow young professionals at Greater Boston’s Backyard Bash—an outdoor networking event with games, live music, local artists, and free ice cream.
Public Policy
Boston Chamber Policy Housing

Skills Coalition Outlines Priorities for FY26 House Budget

The Massachusetts Business Coalition on Skills (MBCS), a coalition of 27 diverse business organizations that support strengthening workforce skills development programs and policies, appreciates the House’s continued prioritization of reskilling our workforce of today and tomorrow by allocating critical funds throughout the state budget.
Press Release
City Awake Young Residents Survey

Chamber Foundation’s Young Residents Survey Highlights Importance of Housing & Jobs to Retention of 20 – 30 Year-Olds

The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Foundation (the “Chamber Foundation”) and City Awake, a program of the Chamber Foundation, commissioned a survey from HIT Strategies to understand the personal and professional challenges and opportunities of 20 to 30-year-old residents living and working in Greater Boston.

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