Workforce Development

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What's New

In 2022 the CRA and City of Cambridge are convening stakeholders to advance recommendations from the Cambridge Workforce Development Study we jointly commissioned from the UMass Donahue Institute. See below to learn more and download materials.

Are you looking for affordable, state of the art event space in the heart of Kendall Square? Scroll down to learn more about The Link and get in touch to see if The Link might work for your nonprofit or corporate event!

   

Since its formation in 1956, the CRA has offered various workforce initiatives, including the youth training program in Wellington-Harrington that evolved into the nonprofit organization, Just-A-Start.  Today the CRA is undertaking projects to strengthen connections between the vibrant technology / biotechnology industries in Kendall Square and the Cambridge community at large. 

The Link helps make a connection between Kendall Square and the larger community. The Foundry building will connect the larger community to the innovation economy.  The CRA and the City engaged the UMass Donahue Institute to study the current workforce development needs in Cambridge and in 2021 and onward are engaging stakeholders to consider how to implement the study’s recommendations. The CRA also maintains an active partnership with the Kendall Square Association, including considering how to expand diversity and inclusion initiatives underway at local innovation companies.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT STUDY

Download the C2021 Cambridge Workforce Development Study by the UMass Donahue Institute, commissioned by the CRA and City of Cambridge.

Thank you to all who joined the CRA and City of Cambridge, including Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui and City Manager Louis De Pasquale, on June 22nd, 2021 for a presentation of findings based on this study.

This presentation was based on a study conducted by the UMass Donahue Institute and the UMass Center for Social Policy Research. The study focused on which Cambridge residents could benefit most from workforce development support, and considered how Cambridge stakeholders might advance that support. Information about the study can also be found on the City of Cambridge website.

Watch the recording of the 6-22-21 event

Download the slides presented on 6-22-21 by Mark Melnik of the UMass Donahue Institute

Opportunity Space Floor Plan for The Link, 255 Main Street, 8th Floor; showing classrooms and meeting rooms that may also function as event spaces, small offices, and “neighborhoods” of cubicles.

Opportunity Space Floor Plan for The Link, 255 Main Street, 8th Floor; showing classrooms and meeting rooms that may also function as event spaces, small offices, and “neighborhoods” of cubicles.

The Link

The CRA created a workforce development “Opportunity Space”, at 255 Main Street called The Link as a component of the KSURP and IDCP (Kendall Square Urban Renewal Plan and infill Development Concept Plan). The Link strengthens the connections between job seekers in Cambridge, Boston-area residents and the innovation economy of Kendall Square. These plans require Boston Properties, as master developer of Kendall Square, to provide this public benefit (as well as others) in return for adding new office space to Kendall Square. The Link started operations in March, 2019 with TSNE operating the space.

The Link is a cluster of classrooms, small offices, gathering space, and co-working space operating within the broader Innovation Space of 255 Main Street.  Programs in The Link provide a range of targeted technical education and career development opportunities. Groups located at the The Link include: A-T Research Project, Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, CBD Collaborative, COSBOC, Green Soul Foundation, Mass Bio-Ed, and Per Scholas.

The CRA envisions that The Link will become a nexus for innovation-focused workforce development activity and employer recruitment in Cambridge.  As Kendall Square is home to a wide range of local start-ups and large-scale international companies that are collectively leaders in the innovation economy, The Link is pivotal in meeting the economic opportunity objectives of the KSURP.

Mission: The Link is a workforce and career advancement center to serve as a nexus between the innovation economy of Kendall Square and Greater Boston, and underrepresented job seekers. The space fills gaps in workforce development needs, provides incubator and swing space for mission-aligned organizations seeking to locate in Kendall Square, and serves as a talent pipeline for employers.

The Link’s Objectives:

  • Create a center with multiple layers of career assistance services, such as assessment, education, counseling, and mentorship resources, to individuals seeking to enter the innovation economy.

  • Deliver a high impact set of training programs targeting a range of skill levels matched to the needs of Kendall Square employers.

  • Develop an approachable, professional space for job seekers in the community and an accessible, useful resource for employers building their workforce.

The Link will be considered successful if it becomes an essential location in the workforce development landscape of the region, and functions as a critical resource for employers seeking to fill their talent pipeline.

How to Locate a Program or Event at The Link

Office space, co-working desks, meeting rooms, and event space is available for your organization! To learn more, contact The Link’s operator, TSNE, via: info@link-kendall.org or 617-945-2562.

Reference Documents: