MassHire Merrimack Valley Career Center has a new sponsor and, with it, a promise to better serve Haverhill with a new location.
Greater Lawrence Community Action Council was awarded a three-year grant to operate the center after Northern Essex Community College decided not to renew its contract, according to Merrimack Valley Workforce Board Executive Director Frank Bonet.
MassHire’s Lawrence office is at 420 Common St. Last year, the Haverhill MassHire office moved from The Heights, 160 Merrimack St., Haverhill, to MakeIT Haverhill’s space at 301 Washington St.
James Henderson, who has served as executive director of MassHire Merrimack Valley Career since spring of 2023, is leaving as of June 30. (Courtesy photograph.)
Bonet said all 22 staff members who worked for the college in positions such as employment counselors, job trainers and job placement specialists were invited to reapply for the jobs. James Henderson, who has served as executive director of MassHire Merrimack Valley Career since spring of 2023, is leaving as of June 30. The center, which served 8,500 job seekers last year, has a $3.3 million annual budget underwritten by a mix of federal and state money. It is part of a network of MassHire Career Centers across the state.
“While we were sorry Northern Essex decided not to continue its operation of the career center, we are expecting a new career center location to open in Haverhill in the next two months which will be good for Haverhill job seekers and employers,” Bonet said. “We felt having a location in Haverhill was very important because job seekers really want a convenient place where they can come and meet someone face-to-face so we wrote that requirement into the new contract.”
Northern Essex has operated the center since 2017, Bonet said, adding the career center to GLCAC’s portfolio will allow it to expand its own workforce development programs and better serve its clients who often seek help initially for housing support, immigration legal services and adult education.
“This way if they have a client who needs a job or a better paying job, they will be able to better meet that need,” Bonet said.
In addition to counseling, he said, the MassHire Career Centers often pay for the cost of job training, certification and skills development. The local center works with both regional vocational high schools to connect students directly with potential employers.
GLCAC takes over July 1. GLCAC Executive Director Vilma Martinez-Dominguez said she expects the transition to be seamless.
“We are honored to have been chosen to operate the MassHire Merrimack Valley Career Center, Martinez-Dominguez said. “This is a testament to our team’s dedication to creating pathways to economic stability and success for individuals and families in our community.”
GLCAC serves more than 36,000 individuals a year. It operates a head start pre-school, a family and community support center, nutrition and healthcare programs.