Summer at BGCL is about more than fun—it's about preparing young people for bright futures.
This summer, 14 selected BGCL members, made up of rising ninth graders and rising high school juniors, are participating in an immersive seven-week Workforce Development Summer Program designed to help them discover career possibilities, build professional skills, and gain a deeper understanding of the working world.
Running through August 14, the program consists of 24 sessions held every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Members who complete at least 80% of the program have the opportunity to earn a $300 stipend, reinforcing the value of commitment, responsibility, and professionalism.
For members like Matthew M., the program offers more than career exposure. It is also an opportunity to grow personally and prepare for the future.
“What made me want to join the Workforce Development Summer Program are the takeaways I will get from it,” said Matthew M. “Hopefully, at the end of the program, I will be able to be a better student, as well as a better person, with more knowledge on things like professionalism and time management.”
Learning Responsibility Like a Real Job
The Workforce Development Summer Program is intentionally structured to mirror the expectations of a workplace.
Members are expected to attend sessions consistently, communicate professionally, and provide at least 24 hours' notice if they need to miss a session to receive an excused absence. These expectations help participants develop essential workplace habits such as accountability, punctuality, communication, and reliability.
The stipend isn't simply a reward for participation—it's an incentive that teaches members the connection between commitment, responsibility, and earning a paycheck.
For Matthew, the program has helped reinforce what professionalism looks like in real-world settings.
“This program has helped me reinforce my professionalism,” he said, explaining that the experience has provided guidance on “when and who to be professional towards.”
A Different Industry Every Week
Each week introduces members to a new career field through three unique experiences:
- Tuesdays: Hands-on field trips to local businesses and organizations.
- Wednesdays: Roundtable discussions with professionals and guest speakers.
- Thursdays: Interactive workshops focused on workplace readiness and personal development.
Throughout the summer, members participate in workshops covering topics including time management, collaboration, communication, advocacy, mental health, leadership, respect, and other soft skills that employers consistently value across every industry.
Seeing the Bigger Picture
One of the program's biggest goals is helping members understand what it really takes to run a successful business or organization.
Rather than simply learning about one job title, participants explore the many moving pieces that make an industry function—from leadership and operations to marketing, finance, customer service, logistics, and countless other roles behind the scenes.
By meeting professionals and visiting real workplaces, members begin to see how their own interests, personalities, strengths, and hobbies could translate into meaningful careers they may never have considered before.
For Matthew, the program has opened his eyes to just how many possibilities exist.
“This program has helped me realize that the reality of what I will do in the workforce is very vast,” he said. “I may not even work in the subject of my college major. But one thing is for sure, hard work and education pays off.”
Starting with Community Impact
The program began with a visit from Groundwork Lawrence, giving members the opportunity to learn about work that directly impacts their own community.
Groundwork Lawrence shared plans for greenspace and parks throughout the City of Lawrence, highlighting efforts to promote and improve outdoor spaces across the city. Members learned how planning, design, environmental work, community engagement, and advocacy can all connect to meaningful careers.
Members were also able to ask questions, share feedback, and give input on the plans. The session gave them a chance to see that their voices matter and that young people can play a role in shaping the future of their community.
Inside the Restaurant Industry
The program continued with a visit to Rev Burger, where owner Nick Harron welcomed members behind the scenes of his restaurant.
Members toured the restaurant, enjoyed lunch together, and had the opportunity to learn directly from Harron about what it is like to own and operate a business. He spoke with members about the restaurant industry, the different types of roles and opportunities within it, and the skills and personality traits that can help someone succeed as a business owner.
Members were also able to ask questions and gain a better understanding of what happens behind the scenes to keep a restaurant running.
The experience gave participants a deeper appreciation for the variety of careers available within the restaurant and hospitality industry—not just cooking, but management, marketing, operations, finance, purchasing, and entrepreneurship.
The visit also helped Matthew better understand the value of gaining experience over time.
“The most valuable thing that I learned from a field trip is that experience plays a lot in getting a job,” he said. “Most businesses cannot simply teach you how to do everything and prepare you for a high-status job at first. Usually, you must go through many jobs and promotions to earn that experience.”
Reflecting on the Rev Burger visit, Matthew added that Harron helped him see why understanding every role in a business matters: “To be a business owner, you must understand the jobs you are employing people for.”
Discovering That There Isn't Just One Career Path
The following day, members welcomed guest speaker Kate Pickus, a retired Account Executive from US Foods.
Pickus shared her career journey and answered questions from members, offering a valuable example of how a passion can lead to many different career possibilities. With a love for cooking and baking and a background in culinary school, her path shows that an interest in food does not have to lead only to opening a bakery or becoming a chef. Instead, that knowledge and passion can be used in many different ways, including careers that combine food, business, sales, relationship-building, and industry expertise.
Her experience highlights an important lesson: your passion doesn't have to define your exact job—it can simply be the foundation for a career that fits your skills, personality, and goals.
For members, it was an eye-opening reminder that there are many different ways to turn what you love into a fulfilling profession.
More Industries, More Possibilities
As the program continues, members are exploring even more career paths, practical skills, and workplace expectations through guest speakers and hands-on sessions.
Bobby Couture, an electrician, visited BGCL to speak with members about careers in the trades, giving them a closer look at hands-on, skilled work and the opportunities available in the field.
Ryan Bennett, our Director of Technology, led a session focused on practical business and entrepreneurship skills. He showed members how to create invoices, fill out a W-9, understand what a business proposal is, and learn about other paperwork and procedures needed to run their own business.
Members also participated in a session with Amy Brown, our Assistant Director of Education, focused on respect, reinforcing how communication, attitude, and the way people treat one another are all part of being prepared for the workplace.
Today, members are scheduled to hear from Natasha Ballou, Executive Director of Investment Middle Office Services at J.P. Morgan Corporate & Investment Bank in Boston, who will speak about her career in finance.
Additional potential guest speakers include Juan Yepez, Chief Executive Officer of Mainstream Global, and Dan Roche, award-winning sports anchor and reporter for WBZ-TV/CBS Boston. Members may also hear from professionals in fields such as cinema and photography, financial literacy, aerospace, and more.
Each session gives members the opportunity to ask questions, learn directly from professionals, and continue seeing the wide range of careers and opportunities available to them.
Preparing Members for Their Futures
The Workforce Development Summer Program is about much more than exploring careers.
It is about helping young people develop the confidence, professionalism, communication skills, and work ethic they'll need long after summer ends.
By connecting members with successful professionals, introducing them to real workplaces, and helping them understand the many pathways available to them, BGCL is empowering the next generation to think bigger about their futures.
Whether a member dreams of owning a business, working in healthcare, broadcasting the next championship game, managing investments, designing spacecraft, or pursuing a career they haven't discovered yet, this program helps them take the first step.
Because when young people can see what's possible, they begin to believe it's possible for themselves.