Happy Spring! In this installment of our newsletter, we are highlighting our expansion of training opportunities due to the Commonwealth Corporation’s Future Skills Program. We are partnering with our local Technical High Schools to offer expanded training opportunities in all types of occupations.


Our ARPA Skills Center is up and running. We have some great programs to offer to Lowell residents. Our staff are hard at work servicing the recent arrivals of immigrants to our area. Finally, our staffing continues to expand, and we have welcomed several new staff members. Check out our website to keep up-to-date with all our programs or follow us on social media.


Shannon Norton Calles

Executive Director

MassHire Lowell Career Center

Training, Skills, & Credentials

In previous years at the Career Center, training programs were often limited to customers collecting unemployment assistance or at a poverty-level income. Customers would be eligible for training only through the federally-funded Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA). These training opportunities were limited in number by funding allocations and with strict eligibility criteria.


In the last few years, a new program has greatly increased our ability to offer customers training. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Commonwealth Corp's FutureSkills / Career Technical Initiative program have opened the doors of training to scores of individuals in our region. These short-term training programs have assisted our customers in acquiring the skills necessary to start a new career, obtain occupational credentials, or demonstrate expertise in their field.


Although the eligibility requirements are less restrictive than WIOA programs, we still strive to match individuals to appropriate training and to offer our customers an achievable chance at success. We especially want to thank our staff members, Amy Veillette and Caitlyn Gullage, for recruiting and guiding our customers through these programs.


Since March 2021, we have:

  • 30 training programs offered in multiple fields
  • 220 customers enrolled in training
  • 184 individuals completed training
  • 118 customers newly employed
  • 75 customers employed in a new career
  • 18 customers currently in training


Training programs are offered in Auto Tech, Culinary Arts, Hands-on Plumbing, Carpentry, Hands-on Electrical, Welding, and CNC Machining.


See our current offerings at https://masshirelowellcc.com/jobseekers/training/

ARPA Skills Center Update

Our ARPA programming moves on with 130 Lowell residents now enrolled. The ARPA program offers training opportunities, job placement, and retention services.


Customers have graduated from training in multiple occupations in fields such as healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, construction, and information technology. Our Skills Center assists customers in becoming certified in Microsoft Office products, QuickBooks, and Digital Literacy. Skills Center Trainer Nicholas Campbell says that he can see the confidence grow within the customer when they pass one of these nationally recognized credentials.


Of the 130 ARPA program enrollments, 62 have completed a training course. 48 have found new employment, and 35 have been retained in their current jobs. Individuals completing the training earn an average salary of $26.50, with the highest individual salary of $72 an hour.


The ARPA skills program is designed for Lowell residents who are unemployed or underemployed. For more information, please speak with Program Manager Glenna Gaillardetz at 978-805-4766. Other ARPA programming will include LowellHires for employers and the Youth Workforce Corps for young adults.

Immigration Center

Starting in January, our staff began assisting immigrants at the resident center on 50 Warren Street in Lowell. Currently, we have 123 work-authorized individuals job-searching. Our staff are at the center from Monday to Thursday, meeting with individuals, writing resumes, conducting intakes for training, and job-searching.


Although language skills have been a barrier to employment, the residents have been highly motivated to find jobs. We have conducted two job fairs at the center and enrolled 18 individuals into an ESOL/Healthcare program. In addition, we are currently holding multiple digital literacy classes to help residents obtain basic computer skills.

Fire & Police Deparment Info Sessions

On March 26, we proudly hosted informational sessions for the City of Lowell's Fire and Police departments. Both sessions allowed Fire and Police officials to meet with interested job seekers, explain the civil service exam process, and discuss the benefits of serving in these roles.


We had 38 individuals register for this event, with two sessions for each department in the morning and afternoon. Among the officers joining us were the Fire Department's Anthony Leite, Community Education & Relations Office, and the Police Department's Captain Marisol Nobrega, Commanding Officer, Training & Recruiting.


New Staff

Since the fall, we have welcomed several new staff members


Keilani Keo – Career Advisor (CIES)

LeeLee Kao – Career Advisor

Manuela Estrada – Career Advisor (CIES)

Maria Morrissette – Employment Counselor

Nicholas Campbell – Skill Center Instructor

Nicole Rosario – Young Adult Career Advisor

Yenissa Berrios – Young Adult Career Advisor

Zaris Huerta – Career Advisor

Customer Success: Geri-Lyn

One of our customers - Geri-Lyn - goes from being recruited to being a recruiter. from one side of the job fair table to the other.

Unemployed in Greater Lowell

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