BWB Presents Workforce Awards

01:13PM / Friday, September 25, 2020Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Bekshire Workforce Boar honored four are leaders at their quarterly meeting.

The MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board (BWB) held its quarterly meeting on Sept. 10, 2020 via zoom and honred Mayor Linda Tyer, Melanie Herzig of the MassHire Berkshire Career Center, BWB Board member Brian Morrison and the 1Berkshire Team.

At their meeting BWB highlighted several accomplishments including pandemic response efforts, career readiness programming, training in healthcare & manufacturing, employer engagement and reemployment activities.

Four leaders were recognized for their efforts:

• Mayor Linda Tyer, City of Pittsfield received the 2020 Workforce Ambassador award for her longstanding support of MassHire activities, engagement in business discussions and for her consistent commitment to supporting workforce programming in the Berkshires.

• Melanie Herzig, Business Services Representative, MassHire Berkshire Career Center received the 2020 Workforce Professional Award. Melanie was recognized for going above and beyond in assisting businesses and organizations through the Berkshires with their workforce needs.

• Brian Morrison, Berkshire Workforce Board Member received the Social Media Superhero award for always supporting workforce development social media campaigns.

• The 1Berkshire Team received the COVID-19 Innovators Award for creating programming and support systems during the pandemic that helped business connect and thrive.

Although the MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board and Career Center remain closed to the public, workforce and career readiness services are still being provided virtually to employers, job seekers and youth. During the pandemic, MassHire assisted 435 companies and 1,207 job seekers, with their workforce needs; completed the manufacturing training which trained 56 un/underemployed; provided summer youth program to 37 youth; and connected more than 2,500 youth with career readiness activities. There are a number of new labor market tools on the MassHireBerkshire.com website to help organizations apply for resources.

The Board voted on the Workforce Business Plan for FY2021 which can be found on its website www.MassHireBerkshire.com. The Berkshire Workforce Board is a federally mandated workforce board that creates and sustains powerful connections between businesses, education providers and jobseekers. The Board addresses critical labor market issues and serves the oversight and policy-making body for federally funded employment and training services in the region.

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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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