With a commitment to inclusion and diversity, the Dorchester Bay City team highly values its partnerships with community organizations that align with our core principles.
Organizations like Building Pathways, a non-profit pre-apprentice program dedicated to recruiting and retaining women and people of color in the union building trades, play a vital role in advancing our mission of providing underrepresented groups with access to careers in the real estate, design, and construction industries.
“We’re in the business of changing lives,” said Nancy Luc, Executive Director of Building Pathways. “It’s essential to highlight the opportunities available in the trades, especially for women, people of color, and young adults who often don’t envision themselves in these roles.”
Building Pathways works to break down barriers for applicants by providing over 200 hours of classroom and hands-on training, covering everything from interview skills and workplace culture to technical skills like CPR certification, toxic waste handling, and even retrofitting buildings for green construction. The participants also receive extensive support services, placement assistance and opportunities to visit union apprentice programs to learn more about each trade.
As the building trades face an aging workforce and the need for skilled workers grows, Building Pathways is playing a crucial role in bridging that gap, ensuring that the supply of skilled labor can meet the demand in Massachusetts and beyond.
“COVID, of course, didn’t help the trades as the work is very hands-on,” Luc said. “It’s critical we continue to build this workforce up, especially at a time when the demand remains high with new projects being approved all over the state.”
With projects like Dorchester Bay City, organizations like Building Pathways are integral to our mission of promoting inclusion and diversity throughout all stages of development. Our focus is on creating opportunities in contracting, employment, training, and education, while ensuring that local residents have access to meaningful career pathways. Building Pathways strengthens this focus by preparing the diverse workforce needed to meet the demands of the future.
“Dorchester Bay City is committed to achieving unprecedented levels of community participation, from local residents, women and people of color to minority- and women-owned businesses,” said Jill Lacey Griffin, Vice President of DEI at Accordia Partners and member of the Building Pathways Employer Advisory Committee. “For a project of this scale, as many as 25,000 construction-related jobs will be created, and we’re grateful for partners like Building Pathways who share our vision of maximizing local and diverse participation to the fullest extent possible.”
Looking ahead, Building Pathways is recruiting for its winter class, set to begin in February, and preparing for its annual event this November. They also hold monthly Tradeswoman Tuesday sessions and will also be active participants in major events to help expand their reach, such as the Massachusetts Girls in the Trades Conference happening later this year.
If you’re interested in learning more about the opportunities in the building trades, visit Building Pathways website for more information.