Berkshire Workforce Board Hires Second Career Readiness Coordinator

01:38PM / Tuesday, October 29, 2019Print Story | Email Story

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Responsible for overseeing employment and training services in the region, the MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board recently hired a South County career readiness coordinator; a position that is funded by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.

Ruthann Eagen will be responsible for assisting the Berkshire Workforce Board youth director with coordinating strategies to further enhance career readiness systems and programming within the public school systems in Southern Berkshire County. She will also assist with the development of a South County College and Career Advisory Team and individual school district teams with the goal for every student to graduate with a completed college and career plan.

As a youth, Eagen was a member of the Nassau County Law Enforcement Career Exploring Program through the Nassau County Police Department in Long Island, N.Y., and as an adult volunteered for the same program. She looks forward to bringing her career exploring experience to her new role.

Eagen was previously the senior district executive for the Appalachian Trail District of the Western Massachusetts Council, Boy Scouts of America. She received her masters of science in human services and leadership in 2017 from Saint Joseph's College, Patchogue, N.Y., and her bachelor's of science in criminology in 2014 from State University of New York (SUNY) Old Westbury. She also holds a business administration certificate from Nassau Community College, Garden City, N.Y.

Eagen can be reached at 413-442-7177, ext. 144, or by email.

The Berkshire Workforce Board ignited the career readiness programming in 1992, works with all K-12 Berkshire school systems, hundreds of employers, and annually connects 3,000 youth with career awareness, exploration, and immersion activities.

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State Wins $130M to Advance West-East Rail

03:03PM / Saturday, October 17, 2026

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Some $130 million in federal monies is being invested into passenger rail along the so-called Knowledge Corridor and for laying the groundwork to establish West-East Rail from Albany, N.Y., to Boston.

The funding for the Springfield Hub Modernization Project was announced on Friday by Gov. Maura Healey, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and U.S. Reps. Richard Neal and James McGovern.

The project is part of the state's Compass Rail vision, centered on Springfield Union Station and building on existing Amtrak Vermonter, Hartford Line and Valley Flyer service.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation was awarded the funding through the Federal Railroad Administration's Fiscal Years 2025-2026 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant program to support modernization of the rail infrastructure around Springfield Union Station.

"This is a major win for Western Massachusetts and a big step forward for West-East Rail," said Healey in a statement. "This $130 million investment in Springfield will help us improve transportation, reduce congestion and connect more communities to jobs, housing and economic opportunity. I'm grateful to Senators Markey and Warren, Congressmen Neal and McGovern, and all of our partners for helping us secure this critical funding and move us closer to expanded passenger rail service across Massachusetts."

The project will upgrade tracks, signals and other infrastructure to address a major rail bottleneck, reduce conflicts between freight and passenger trains, and allow more efficient operations and expanded rail service. This work is expected to improve on-time performance, reduce delays and provide more schedule flexibility for Amtrak Vermonter and Valley Flyer passengers. The project will also create capacity for future passenger rail service while reducing unnecessary train idling, emissions and operating costs.

"Building West-East rail is a once-in a-lifetime investment to connect Massachusetts' communities and our regional economies like never before. It will mean lower costs, less congestion, and access to opportunity for families across the state," said Markey. "I'm proud to have secured this $130 million in federal funding alongside Governor Healey, Senator Warren, Congressman Neal and Congressman McGovern, bringing our total federal investment to more than $280 million to date, which will build the track to this more affordable, cleaner, better connected future."

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