When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world, millions of US women left the workforce. March 2024 marks four years post-shutdown, and although women’s employment has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, there are still challenges women face regarding job prospects. Using tools such as workforce development and job training programs, women are looking to level the playing field when it comes to the labor force.
How to Reach the Untapped Talent Pool
In January 2024, the Boston Business Journal reported that there were nearly two-and-a-half job openings for every unemployed person. According to the Project on Workforce Report at Harvard University, the labor problem in Massachusetts is more than just due to a lack of talent. There is also a significant “untapped talent” pool of workers in the state who are either underemployed or not working up to their capacity. According to the Harvard Report, one step in alleviating the labor shortage would be to help this group, which includes women, overcome the barriers to being successful in the workforce.
Workforce Development Programs Create a Pathway for Success
Meeting the current and future needs of the workplace is essential to creating a career pathway for women. Training and workforce development programs are essential for:
- Closing the gender wage gap by enhancing skills and qualifications.
- Addressing gender disparity by promoting inclusivity and creating an environment where women can thrive.
- Generating opportunities for career advancement.
- Increasing economic independence by connecting women to stable employment and helping them make informed financial decisions to support their households.
- Adapting to new technologies and industry trends.
Skills and Development Programming Has an Impact
Organizations like Mujeres Unidas Avanzando (MUA) offer tools, including job training programs, to spur financial independence and improve workforce skills. MUA, a grantee partner of the Women’s Foundation of Boston (WFBoston), embodies the Foundation’s mission of promoting economic advancement, leadership, and well-being of women and girls throughout the Commonwealth. They are working to bring women into the workforce with the skills needed to succeed.
MUA Offers Women the Tools Needed to Succeed
MUA provides Latina and other English language learners the tools to empower themselves through mentoring, education and job training. In 2023, WFBoston awarded MUA a three-year $120,000 grant. This grant is funding a second clinical medical assistant educational training and externship program to supplement the original waitlisted program. Previously, WFBoston awarded MUA a grant for a medical administrative assistant job training pilot program. The program coordinator shared, “In this pilot program, students developed hard and soft job skills and then looked for employment with MUA’s training coordinator.” These programs offer women tangible skills that they can bring directly into the workplace
You Can Help Change the Cycle of Women’s Employment
Organizations like MUA are helping create career pathways for women while meeting the needs of future employers. Donating to the Women’s Foundation of Boston today will ensure that workforce development and training programs continue to break down barriers to employment and foster women’s independence. Since the WFBoston’s inception, more than 16,000 women and girls have benefited from WFBoston-funded programs. Help keep the cycle going by donating today!
Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, was named President and CEO of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in 2016. She is also Director of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and the Richard and Susan Smith Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Previously, she was the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean and Professor of Medicine of Weill Cornell Medicine and Provost for Medical Affairs of Cornell University. Dr. Glimcher is a distinguished immunologist, widely renowned for her work in one of the most promising areas of cancer research.
Linda Henry is the CEO of the Boston Globe Media Partners. She is a co-founder of HUBweek, a civic collaboration between the Boston Globe, Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital, and MIT that explores the future being built at the intersection of art, science and technology. Linda is also an early-stage impact investor, an Emmy-Award winning television producer with two shows currently airing, and a community activist. She serves as a director of the Red Sox Foundation, is a trustee of the Liverpool Football Club Foundation, chair of the Boston Globe Foundation, and chairman of the John W. Henry Family Foundation. In addition, she is a founder of the Boston Public Market, serves on the advisory board of MassChallenge, and is on the board of the Engine at MIT. She earned a BS from Babson College and her MS from MIT.
Bekah Salwasser joined the Red Sox Foundation as the Executive Director in January of 2018. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Brown University and has extensive experience in philanthropy and both professional and semi-professional sports. After four years working as Community Relations Director for the Boston Celtics, Bekah went on to lead Scholar Athletes as its Executive Director, a program that supports public high school athletes with both their athletic and academic achievements. Earlier in her career, Bekah served as a professional soccer player for the Boston Breakers and as Executive Director of the Charlestown Lacrosse and Learning Center.
Kimberly Fay Boucher is a business executive who has driven high performance organizations in technology, consumer products and social enterprise/nonprofit industries over the past 25 years. She is currently the Technology Commercialization Business Leader for the CTO at Analog Devices, where she is responsible for driving new technologies from incubation stages to successful businesses. Kim is also a Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, where she teaches Disciplined Entrepreneurship in the Martin Trust Center. She holds a BS in Management Industrial Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She is a NCAA Academic All-American Women’s Basketball player and has been inducted into the WPI Hall of Fame.
Ami Kuan Danoff (Co-Founder and CFO) is a private investor and the trustee of a foundation. She is a Harvard Quantum Founder and a member of the Harvard FAS Dean’s Council. Ami earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in Visual and Environmental Studies and holds a dual master’s degree in Applied Economics and International Finance from the Sloan School of Management at MIT. She was a portfolio manager in global equities at Putnam Investments and co-manager of the Putnam International New Opportunities Fund, and also worked as an international equities analyst at Fidelity Investments.
Christina Heenan Suh holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in English and Marketing and a master’s from Columbia University. A former management consultant, her work focused on strategy and implementation projects for Fortune 100 clients. She was also an account executive at Hill+Knowlton (WPP) marketing consumer packaged goods. As an Executive Board Member of the Brookline Education Foundation, which funds professional development in the Brookline Public Schools, Christina led their Grant and Oversight Committees. She currently sits on the board of the Brookline Library Foundation and teaches ESL at Rosie’s Place in Boston.
Christina Gordon (Co-Founder and CEO) holds a dual master’s degree in International Finance and Applied Economics from MIT’s Sloan School of Management. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Boston University and also studied for a joint master’s degree in Women’s Studies and Sociology at Brandeis with a focus on women in the workplace. Christina is a former assistant fund manager and technology industry equity analyst at Wellington Management. She also worked as a stock analyst at Fidelity Investments. She is a trustee of a private foundation, a member of Women Moving Millions and currently sits on the board of Rosie’s Place, a sanctuary for poor and homeless women in Boston.