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Michelle Wu
Mayor | Boston, MA

ARPA Case Study: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu Expands Workforce Opportunity

Idea Category: American Rescue Plan Act, Equity & Opportunity, Funding | Funding Source: American Rescue Plan

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has prioritized investing in sustainable career pathways to train and develop the next generation of workers who will tackle the most pressing issues in their communities. In January 2022, Mayor Wu launched PowerCorps, a program aimed at training underemployed Bostonians for green industry careers. This ‘earn and learn’ program pays members to participate in hands-on training and provides them with career readiness support and connections to employers. Everyone in the program's first cohort earned a job or was enrolled in additional training.

Building on that work, Wu pledged to add 1,000 new biotech and life sciences workers by 2025 to meet workforce demands and uphold the region's prominence in the industry. Funded in part through the federal American Rescue Plan Act, the Boston Sciences Workforce Initiative will offer grants for training programs that connect companies with city residents seeking "good-paying" life sciences jobs and career paths.

In February, 2024, Wu announced the recipients of the funding, prioritizing training programs that: secure internships and hiring commitments from life sciences companies; focus on specific in-demand industry positions; and support residents without four-year degrees, particularly workers of color, women, and immigrants, who are currently underrepresented in the field. Additionally, the grants will establish an intermediary organization to provide additional support to workers, training providers, and employers, with the aim of making inclusive employment pathways a permanent fixture in the regional industry. The funding will also address common challenges that workers often face when entering the industry, such as childcare and transportation costs.

“Boston is the home for big ideas that can change the world,” said Wu. “As Mayor, my goal is to help ensure that Boston remains the best place in the world to start and grow a life sciences company—to create life-saving innovations and great jobs for our residents. Through our Life Sciences Workforce Initiative, we’re partnering with industry, training providers, and higher education to connect employers with the talented workforce that lives in our neighborhoods.”