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The PIC is deeply heartbroken to share that Rodney Perez, our Career Specialist at Charlestown High School, passed away in May. Rodney had been with the PIC since January 2023, though many within the organization have known him considerably longer as he grew up in Boston, attended the Tobin and BCLA, and was a youth leader at Sociedad Latina.
Rodney was beloved by his peers, and well respected by the students and staff he worked alongside at Charlestown High School and with partners throughout the Greater Boston community. He had an infectious personality, always bringing positive energy to every interaction. Rodney leaves behind his wife Naomi and his son Hanile, who also attends the Tobin, along with a wider family of loved ones.
Rodney impacted the lives of many and served the youth of Boston well. He will be deeply missed. We welcome you to join us in support of his family if you are able. Please keep his family, friends, and colleagues in your thoughts.
| | Building Skills & Community at English High | | |
After the final bell rings at The English High School (EHS), most students head home or go to jobs off campus. But 20 students stay behind—clocking in for after-school internships that help to keep the school running. Some can be found building a robotic hand, practicing their sewing, or photographing the school play, while others assist teachers and staff with essential duties. Although their roles vary, each intern is building professional skills, earning a wage, and strengthening their school community.
Thanks to funding by YouthWorks, a state-wide youth employment program managed by Commonwealth Corporation and administered by the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development, many EHS teachers and staff receive extra help from student interns in a wide range of roles. Students work in one or two areas—athletics, business, design and visual communications, office administration, peer tutoring, and robotics—several days a week after class. These internships give students the chance to explore different career paths while contributing to the school.
| | Amazon Supports Boot Camps | |
During February and April vacation weeks, hundreds of Boston Public Schools students trade some of their time off to dive deeper into careers at the PIC’s skill-building boot camps. Thanks to support from Amazon, these 1-4 day boot camps allow students the opportunity to explore a wide variety of fields, from biotech and clean energy to art and entrepreneurship.
In 2026, 8 boot camps were offered in February and 5 in April. Between the two vacation weeks, 368 BPS high school students participated in boot camps. While specific skills varied across topics, all boot camps provided exposure to career paths, networking opportunities, and hands-on learning.
| | BPS High School Education Indicators Dashboard | |
This dashboard highlights longer-term trends on four key education indicators for Boston Public Schools (BPS) high school students and graduates. For each indicator, we show the overall trend and disaggregate by gender and race-ethnicity.
Over the past two decades, Boston has improved educational outcomes for its high school students by lowering the high school dropout rate and increasing cohort graduation rates. College enrollment rates rose for much of this period before declining just prior to and following the pandemic.
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For over 46 years, the PIC has connected Boston’s youth and adults to education, training, and meaningful employment—strengthening both our communities and our regional economy. In a time of uncertainty and change, this work is more important than ever.
None of this work would be possible without our public, private, nonprofit, education, and philanthropic partners. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to expanding opportunities for Boston residents.
| | New Members Join MassHire Boston Workforce Board | |
- Kristin Driscoll, Executive Director of Workforce Development, Mass General Brigham
- Rory Dugan, Global Community Impact Manager, Starbucks Coffee Company
- Jill Reynolds, Associate Practice Area Director, Human Services, Public Consulting Group
The MassHire Boston Workforce Board is a 33-member, business-majority body, which includes dedicated leaders across our city. Members are appointed by Mayor Michelle Wu to oversee strategies, priorities, and programs that best meet the needs of job seekers and employers in the region.
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Convened by EdVestors on behalf of New Skills Boston, the Seamless Advising Summit brought together cross-sector partners committed to expanding access to high-quality career pathways for Boston students.
Director of Research, Strategy and Operations Joe McLaughlin and Employer Engagement Manager Cara Teréz Brooks led a workshop on labor market conditions and the role of boot camps for skill development. Director of Youth Transitions Kathy Hamilton accepted the Collective Genius Award on behalf of the Youth Transitions Task Force, who were honored for their work in reducing the BPS dropout rate.
| | Summer Jobs & Internships 2026 | |
Thank you to all of our partner companies, institutions, and organizations who will host interns this summer.
As the longtime private sector backbone of the Mayor’s futureBOS Summer Jobs Campaign and supporter of community-based employment, the PIC has seen firsthand the impact of paid jobs. Internships provide the opportunity for students to develop professional skills while earning wages, building a foundation for future career success.
We wish employers, partners, supervisors, and students a summer full of meaningful work and learning!
| | Michael O'Neill at BPS Graduation Rate Press Conference | | |
Summer jobs are essential to keeping students in school and engaged, shares PIC Executive Director Michael O'Neill.
O’Neill joined Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper at Dearborn STEM Academy on March 9, 2026 to celebrate the record-high 2025 four-year graduation rate. He emphasized that employers play a major role in providing early work experiences that help students link classroom learning to their future careers.
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The Boston Private Industry Council is seeking a Director of Development to play an integral role in advancing our mission of connecting Boston residents with education and employment opportunities that prepare them to meet the skill demands of employers in a dynamic economy.
This is an exciting opportunity to help shape and grow the PIC’s fundraising strategy during a new chapter of leadership and strategic planning.
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