BCC and Partners to Hold Second Chances Job Fair on Apr. 30

08:08AM / Wednesday, March 19, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass —Berkshire Community College (BCC), in collaboration with Berkshire County Jail and House of Correction, Berkshire District Attorney’s Office, MassHire Berkshire Career Center and Berkshire Innovation Center, will hold the Second Chances Job and Resource Fair on Wednesday, April 30, from 4-6 pm.

The job fair will be held at Berkshire Innovation Center, located at 45 Woodlawn Avenue, Pittsfield.

The job fair is free and open to the public. Formerly incarcerated individuals, including those who may have been justice involved and/or who have a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) file, are particularly encouraged to attend. Walk-ins are welcome; no registration is required.

For those in need of transportation, roundtrip shuttle service will be provided to the job fair. Pickup at 3:30 pm is available at the following locations:

Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center, 1 Columbus Avenue, Pittsfield
Rural Recovery Resources, 67 State Road, Great Barrington
Main Street Bus Stop, 70 Main Street, North Adams

New this year, Greylock Federal Credit Union will host a 30-minute "50/30/20 Rule" workshop from 5:30-6pm, led by Stephanie Martin, CCUFC Financial Wellness Coach II, and Mame Opoku, Black/African American Outreach Coach, Greylock Federal Credit Union. The 50/30/20 Rule is a simple rule of thumb that helps you budget your money. This rule provides a way to divide up your money, making it easier to pay for your expenses while still saving money for emergencies or large purchases.

Area employers who are interested in participating in the fair must register in advance. The registration deadline is April 23, 2025, or until filled. Employers must have open positions they are seeking to fill immediately and must have a second chances/CORI-friendly hiring policy. To register, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/job-fair

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Pittsfield Council Revisiting DEI Office Rename

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:11PM / Tuesday, October 13, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The conversation about the DEI office renaming that was halted by a charter objection will resume on Tuesday.

The City Council will discuss a request from Mayor Peter Marchetti to rename the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

It proposes to rename the DEI office to the Office of Equity, Access, and Opportunity and merge the Human Rights Commission and Affirmative Action Committee into an Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission.

The Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee supported the changes in August, and in September, Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham delayed the vote with a charter objection.

Pittsfield's City Code prohibits charter states that "if a single member present objects to the taking of the vote, the vote shall be postponed until the next meeting of the city council." It also stipulates that at least four members must object if it is an emergency measure.

Cunningham also submitted a petition, which was referred to O&R under Rule 27, to replace the DEI Office and the Human Rights Commission with an equity, access, and opportunity coordinator in the Department of Community Development, with formal complaints and Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action functions assigned to Human Resources.

At the last meeting, he spent more than an hour querying the mayor and chief diversity officer about functions and effectiveness of the department, wanting more quantitative data. Cunningham proposed an ordinance that he says keeps Pittsfield's commitment to equity, access, and opportunity, "refocuses it on measurable results for our residents, and delivers it at a fraction of the current cost."

Under this petition, the equity, access, and opportunity coordinator would be a $60,000 to $80,000 per year position.

The DEI Office's fiscal year 2027 budget was about $200,000 after cuts during budget season; $106,700 for the chief diversity officer and $58,000 for the administrative assistant. The coordinator would be appointed by the director of community development and the mayor.

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