Some people find it very easy to get a job. They happened to choose a career path where people with their training were in high demand, so electronic contract manufacturing companies were tripping over themselves to hire them. Many others, however, find getting employment to be a constant struggle. Whether their training is out of date or they're held back by a criminal conviction, the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts wants to help them straighten their lives out. That's why they formed the Office of Workforce Development.

The mission of the Office of Workforce Development is threefold: first to assist employers in finding the qualified people they need to install window weights or teach woodworking. Second to help Cambridge youth find summer jobs and internships that can teach them to navigate the working world and discover which career path is for them. And thirdly, to make sure Cambridge adults have the resources and training they need to get a job that will support them.

If you're an employer already or are planning on opening a business in Cambridge when you arrive, you can consult with the Business Advisory Committee at the Office of Workforce Development on the office's policies. You can also participate in job fairs that will help you attract workers and customers to buy your hand garden tools or get assistance with training and finding trained workers through their placement program.

If you're a youth, perhaps moving to Cambridge with your parents or arriving in town to attend university, the Office of Workforce Development can help place you with a cable cutter company if you're having trouble finding a part time job. They run a youth employment center where you can find all the job postings and resume advice. There are also concentrated campaigns in the summer and fall that you can sign up for.

If you're an adult, consulting with an Office of Workforce Development counselor might be just what you need to figure out that your excellent work installing your modern bathroom vanity could be turned into a job skill that gets you hired. If you don't have the skill, you can sign up for a retraining program at the Bunker Hill Community College, which offers evening classes toward associate degrees in subjects like early childhood education and information technology. If you want to get in on the career of the future - biomedicine - the Office of Workforce Development offers a 9 week training program for lab work that includes job placement.