To help bridge the skills gap between local employers and employees, the Berkshire Innovation Center is launching a new program designed to provide the county’s young people with a direct pathway to the county’s highly skilled jobs. This fall, the BIC is launching the Berkshire E-Talent Accelerator, or BETA, a six-week initiative that will provide participants with a practical understanding of STEM-related — science, technology, engineering and math — job opportunities in the Berkshires, and ways to achieve their professional goals.
The Baker-Polito Administration committed nearly $12.5 million towards the BIC through a $12 million allocation from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center and the approval of $450,000 from MassDevelopment. This funding leverages an additional $1 million commitment from the City of Pittsfield and $300,000 from the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority.