Fall River Mayor Coogan, Healey-Driscoll Admin, MassHire Bristol Workforce Board connecting young adults with summer employment throughout greater Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro areas

Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan, in partnership with the MassHire Bristol Workforce Board, has launched the Youth Employment Gateway Cities Learning Community Pilot.

According to a release, the Healey-Driscoll Administration established the Youth Employment Gateway Cities Learning Community Pilot aimed at enhancing youth employment opportunities throughout the state. As part of the pilot, the MassHire Bristol Workforce Board, in partnership with Gateway Cities and employers, have organized this initiative to develop innovative approaches to youth engagement, employer partnerships, and career readiness.

The program’s focus is to connect young adults with summer employment opportunities throughout the greater Fall River, Taunton and Attleboro areas. Thomas Perreira, Executive Director of the MassHire Bristol Workforce Board, noted the importance of this initiative.

“With declines in funding for subsidized youth summer employment programs, our region’s MassHire system has more young adults applying for summer jobs than we can place. As a result, we are seeking businesses that are looking to fill seasonal positions. The advantage to the employer is that we have an existing talent bank of young adults ready to work saving the effort and resources required to locate and identify applicants. In addition, the program helps develop a potential new talent pipeline for local businesses.”

“The youth in and around our city can gain valuable job readiness and occupational skills while engaging in career exploration through this initiative. In many cases, these work experiences will be an early step for young people on a meaningful career ladder. This pilot program also meets a need for local businesses that often have difficulty finding both seasonal and longer-term positions “said Mayor Paul Coogan.

During the summer of 2025, nearly 300 Fall River youth were placed in a job or received job training through the Youthworks program. These included jobs in a wide range of industries. Participants also received soft skills and job readiness training while receiving support services to assist in program retention and progression.

Those interested can contact the MassHire Youth Connection office at 508-675-9245 or contact the MassHire Bristol Workforce Board at youthsummerjobs.com.