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Operation Exit graduates mark beginning of a new chapter in life

Jun 19, 2015

With the plethora of schools in the city, there is no shortage of graduations in Boston when May and June come around. But this week, Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Police Commissioner William B. Evans attended a celebration unlike most. There were no caps and gowns or honorary degrees, but the diplomas that this class of 15 graduates received were just as special as those conferred to so many young adults by Boston’s colleges and universities each year.

The path to graduating wasn’t easy for these students, all of whom have been court-involved or at high risk of entering the criminal justice system. Yet the certificates, embossed with the city seal and signed by the Mayor, that they proudly displayed seemed like a new ticket on life for the graduates and their families. Their newfound sense of opportunity can be credited to a unique program called Operation Exit, now in its second year after being launched by Mayor Walsh in 2014.

Operation Exit is a partnership between the Mayor’s Office, Youth Options Unlimited (YOU) (an initiative that is supported by the BRA through the Office of Workforce Development), the building trades, and the Boston Police Department. The three and a half week program offers students with checkered pasts a chance to get on the path to career stability.

The intensive course is designed to prepare participants for entry into an apprenticeship in the building trades. Through career readiness and occupational skills training, encompassing classroom, peer-to-peer mentorship, and hands-on learning experiences, Operation Exit provides the knowledge and skills required for participants to apply for and enter into apprenticeship programs. In addition, YOU staff offer coordinated case management and placement services to help students achieve their career goals.

As part of their curriculum, the students visited with building trade unions, learned how to weld, and worked with sheet metal instructors to fabricate different items, such as tool boxes, trash cans, and tin flower pots. The graduates also received certifications in workplace safety, first aid, and CPR.

31 young people have graduated Operation Exit since the initiative began. Their futures are undoubtedly brighter with the knowledge and skills they have attained. And their experiences prove how impactful partnerships like the one behind the program can be.

Staff and instructors hope that the graduates can inspire and inform a younger generation, who just might avoid the pitfalls that these students have had to overcome.
 

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