State Invests in Berkshire County Youth Employment and Skills Training

07:54AM / Friday, May 23, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. The Healey-Driscoll Administration has allocated funding to support youth employment in Berkshire County through the YouthWorks program.

As part of the more than $22 million awarded statewide, Berkshire Training and Employment Inc. (BTE Inc.) will receive $584,200 to engage 111 young individuals.

"Youthworks provides foundational opportunities for young people to obtain real world experiences, new skills and paychecks as they explore future careers," said Governor Maura Healey. "YouthWorks is part of our administration’s commitment to improving educational and job opportunities for young people to set them on a path to success and meet the needs of our employers."

"By providing our future workforce with the skills they need to succeed, we are strengthening the state’s competitiveness, growing our local economies and building a pipeline of future workers," said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. "We look forward to seeing our young people gain these experiences and join Team Massachusetts."

This funding will enable BTE Inc. to introduce youth to various trades, including Automotive and Welding, and provide opportunities to obtain certifications as EMTs, LPNs, and paraprofessionals.

The YouthWorks program aims to provide valuable work experience and soft skills training to young adults in Berkshire County, preparing them for future careers.

Since January 2023, more than 13,000 youth and young adults have been placed in a job or received job training through the Youthworks program. Program participants have been placed in jobs in industries such as education, health care, information technology, camp counselors, and arts and communications. Participants also receive vital soft skills training, including leadership, project management, and customer service, and received workforce supports to reduce barriers to employment, including transportation.

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Neal Tours Berkshire Innovation Center as Pittsfield's Tech Economy Grows

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:38PM / Thursday, October 15, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. —Congressman Richard Neal visited the Berkshire Innovation Center Thursday to highlight $735,000 in federal funding secured for a new cybersecurity training and testing facility.

"The number one job of the federal government is to provide for the security of its people. I mean, we should never lose sight of that, whether it's China or Russia, every single day there are these belligerents that are attempting to infiltrate national security here in the United States, and we should not be naive about it," Neal said. "I mean, we can have an argument about proportionality; we can do a lot of different things, but not to miss the point of what they're trying to do every day."

The new cybersecurity facility will provide regional manufacturers and businesses with research and design equipment, specialized lab space, and training facilities and is planned to be housed in a to-be-redeveloped space across the street from the Berkshire Innovation Center (BIC), located at 45 Woodlawn Ave.

The derelict property, formerly owned by General Electric, is now known as the William Stanley Business Park.

The project is a $7.2 million dollar investment from the state, $5.2 million from the tech collaborative, $2 million from bond funding secured by Neal, and $1 million that will be split into two phases: $500,000 for BIC to begin building and $500,000 for Myrias Optics to start production in Pittsfield, said Mayor Peter Marchetti.

BIC Executive Director Ben Sosne said manufacturers often highlight the need for help with cybersecurity, particularly in meeting the security requirements necessary to conduct business with General Dynamics and other major contractors.

Collaborators in the field and the public sector have recognized the need that has only grown since technology has advanced and is a great career opportunity, Sosne said.

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