Berkshire County Regional Employment Board Awarded Workforce Development Grant

11:33AM / Friday, August 14, 2026Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced $5.9 million in workforce development grant funding for 12 initiatives across Massachusetts, representing partnerships with employers, training providers, and regional collaborators to train, upskill, and provide job placement for 951 workers for in-demand occupations in health care, logistics, education, information technology and more.

"Across Massachusetts, employers are looking for skilled workers and residents are looking for opportunities to build successful careers," said Governor Maura Healey. "These grants help us do both by connecting people with the training they need to fill in-demand jobs and helping businesses grow with the workforce they need."

Berkshire County Regional Employment Board, Inc. was awarded $500,000 to provide training and placement services to 172 unemployed and underemployed participants for Medical Assistant and Nursing Assistant roles.

They will partner with Community Health Programs Inc. and Berkshire Health Systems.

The Senator Kenneth J. Donnelly Workforce Success Grants are funded by the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) and administered by Commonwealth Corporation through the state's Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund. Each awarded grant aims to close the skills gap, increase access to well-paying jobs for unemployed and underemployed residents, and strengthen productivity and workforce needs among employers in regions throughout Massachusetts.

Workforce Success grants fund job training and job placement for untapped talent and upskilling programs for incumbent workers. Among the 12 awarded grants, four grants are also dedicating efforts to incorporate English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) in planned job training—an effort to reduce employment barriers such as language that some jobseekers experience.

Since January 2023, the Healey-Driscoll Administration, in partnership with Commonwealth Corporation, has awarded nearly $77 million in Senator Kenneth J. Donnelly Workforce Success Grants to train over 10,500 unemployed, underemployed, and incumbent workers.

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Allendale Pines North Affordable Manufactured Homes Sell Fast

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:17PM / Saturday, August 22, 2026

Developer Teton Management cut the ribbon on the first six hopes in the manufactured housing community earlier this year.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Just a few months after Allendale Pines North cut the ribbon on its first six homes in the new manufactured home community, units in the planned development are selling fast with both first and second phases all but sold out.

For several years, Teton Management Corp. has been planning to expand its existing Allendale Pines Mobile Community with the development of 22 planned manufactured housing units. The new development has its own entrance at 395 Cheshire Road.

The need for attainable housing has never been higher, Teton President George Whaling said.

"And where we sought the opportunity to help with that demand is, we can get folks into a home at Allendale Pines North for essentially a couple of $100 less than what it would cost for someone to rent a three-bedroom of the same quality," he said.

The corporation took over Allendale Pines, now referred to as Allendale Pines South, about 6 1/2 years ago, Whaling said.

Since then, the corporation has invested $1,000,001 in infrastructure improvements, including replacing all water and sewer lines, paving the community and installing the infrastructure needed for 10 additional units, he said.

Additionally, it has been working to clean up and improve the community, which was lacking during previous ownership, said Jason Nocher, owner of Nocher Realty, which has been hired to help sell the units.

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