The Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC) and the University of Massachusetts Boston McCormack Graduate School Center for Social Policy (CSP) are announcing a new partnership to manage the Commonwealth Workforce Coalition (CWC). The partnership began in July 2016 and will extend for one year, after which the Center for Social Policy will operate the program so critical to the state’s workforce development system.
The Commonwealth Workforce Coalition (CWC) is a statewide initiative that seeks to strengthen the capacity of Massachusetts’ education, training, and workforce system to produce better employment and earnings outcomes for unemployed and underemployed residents. CWC’s services and activities include promoting professional networking and sharing through convening Regional Peer Learning Networks and organizing the annual “Sharing Skills-Building Connections Conference”; developing and facilitating customized professional development workshops; providing technical assistance; and connecting organizations and staff with resources, tools, and best practices in workforce development.
CWC serves a membership of more than 5,500 workforce professionals, providing training and networking events every year across the state along with the annual conference. Funders have included the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimac Valley, SkillWorks, State Street Foundation, the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation, The Hyams Foundation, the City of Boston Office of Workforce Development, Boston Private Bank & Trust Company, Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) and The Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, among others.
The Center for Social Policy (CSP) is based at UMass Boston’s McCormack Graduate School. CSP is a research and evaluation center for policy makers, funders, and business leaders that researches the root causes of economic hardship and examines the impact of public policies and employment practices in order to boost economic well-being. The center’s team brings with them a wealth of community and workforce development experience.