Operation A.B.L.E. of Greater Boston

A.B.L.E. Partners

Operation A.B.L.E.’s partners in the business and non-profit communities provide a broad range of services and support to our organization. They are our eyes and ears on the community and advise us on the trends and issues affecting the employment of mature job seekers. They also provide in-kind services in the areas of event planning, communications, and fundraising.

Our Employer Advisory Committee (EAC)

Operation A.B.L.E. of Greater Boston, Inc. has an Employer Advisory Committee that meets every other month to advise the agency on a variety of topics such as hiring environment, job vacancies, skills required for various jobs, etc. The EAC also helps Operation A.B.L.E. with job placements, internships, mock interviews, graduation and classroom speakers, company tours, etc.

History of the EAC: In 1992, the A.B.L.E. Training Center was dedicated to serve mature job seekers who desperately needed computer and job search skills so that they would be more marketable to Greater Boston employers. Originally, we were the only IBM funded computer center in the country that served the mature worker. A.B.L.E. quickly realized that we needed a core group of employers to provide placement and internship opportunities, curriculum input, class speakers, mock interviews, company tours and mentors. The Employer Advisory Committee was created to meet those needs.

EAC Today: The current role of the EAC is very much what it was established to do many years ago. The EAC meets six times a year, every other month from 8:15-9:30 A.M. Candidates in our programs are given a list of our employer partners and encouraged to search their websites for appropriate jobs. They are also asked to provide input about the current business environment, software applications used in their companies, and their hiring needs. EAC members are encouraged to support A.B.L.E. events and provide support letters for government grants. Employer collaborations with Operation A.B.L.E. for training and employment of incumbent workers and new hires are most welcome.

Member Expectations: Expectations for EAC members are as follows:

Attend six EAC meetings per year.

Be a champion of the older worker. Advocate for hiring A.B.L.E. clients in your company whenever possible.

Get involved! Speak to the class on a particular topic, provide mock interviews, arrange for an internship at your company, hire one of our candidates, give our students a tour of your facility, bring samples of work that students can try to replicate or mentor one of our candidates that desperately needs someone that s/he can call for advice.

Support A.B.L.E. events! A.B.L.E. has three-four special events a year (an Annual Dinner Gala, a Celebrating Experience Breakfast, Graduation, and two career fairs annually).

Partner with Operation A.B.L.E. to provide training and employment opportunities in their companies. Examples might be using Operation A.B.L.E. for outplacement, teaching basic workplace skills (computer literacy, math, communication skills, customer service skills) or as career counselors/coaches to at risk employees or to enhance career ladder opportunities in your companies.

Employers interested in joining our Employer Advisory Committee, please contact Joan Cirillo, Executive Director, at 617.542.4180 X129 or jcirillo@operationable.net.

Our In-Kind Service Partners

Oldies 103.3
WODS, Oldies 103.3, Boston’s leading radio station catering to the entertainment needs of the mature worker audience, is the Exclusive Media Sponsor for our semi-annual Mature Worker Career Fairs. The station provides promotional support in the form of public service announcements, talk show participation, and on-site oldies entertainment at each event.

AARP Massachusetts

A.B.L.E. Non-Profit Network

The following agencies provide support, on-the-job training, and resources to Operation A.B.L.E. and our participants. We are very grateful for their support.

AARP Massachusetts

Aids Action Committee, Boston

American Red Cross, Worcester
American Textile History Museum, Lowell

Arlington Council on Aging

Belmont Council on Aging

Boomerang’s, Jamaica Plain

Boston Cares

Boston Career Link

Boston Elder INFO

Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lowell

Boys and Girls Club of Salem

Braintree Council on Aging

Bread N Jam, Cambridge

Brookline Senior Center/Council on Aging

Brookview House, Boston
Caleb Foundation Chestnut Square, Lowell

Cambridge Employment Center

Career Center of Lowell

Career Center of North Central MA

Career Place, Woburn
Career Source, Cambridge and Everett
Carroll Center for the Blind, Newton

Casa Myrna Vasquez, Boston

Central MA. Agency on Aging

Central MA Workforce Investment Board
Centro Las Americas, Worcester

Centro Latino de Chelsea
Charles River Museum of Industry, Waltham
Charles River Public Interest Center, Waltham

Chelsea Council on Elder Affairs

Chelsea District Court

Chelsea Human Services Collaborative

Chelsea Public Library

Chelsea Soldiers Home

Chelsea- Revere-Winthrop Elder Services
City of Haverhill, Mayor’s Office
City of Revere, Mayor’s Office

Commonwealth Corporation

Communities United, Inc., Newton

Community Action, Inc., Amesbury

Danvers Historical Society

Department of Mental Retardation, Wapole,

Worcester Department of Transitional Assistance

Dress for Success, Boston

Emmaus House, Haverhill

Employment and Training Resources, Marlborough,

Newton, Norwood

Ethiopian Community Mutual Assistance Association, Cambridge

Everett Council on Aging

Executive Office of Elder Affairs

Executive Service Corps. of New England, Boston

Fenway Community Development Corp.
First Church Unitarian Universalist, Leominster

Fitchburg Senior Center/Council on Aging

Fitchburg Spanish Council

Friends of Hudson Senior Center, Inc.

Friends of Millbury Seniors, Inc.

Fuller House, Stoneham

Generations, Inc., Boston

Great Wall, Malden
Greater Gardner CDC
Greater Lowell Workforce Investment Board

Haitian Coalition, Somerville

Haitian American Public Health Initiative, Boston

Hallmark Health, Medford

Haverhill Community Action TV
HESSCO Elder Services, Norwood, Sharon,

Walpole, Westwood

Hopkinton Council on Aging

Hudson Town Hall

Housing Families, Inc., Revere

International Institute of Boston

Jack Satter House, Revere

Jewish Vocational Service, Boston

Job Net, Boston

Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston

Kit Clark Senior Services, Boston

Lahey Clinic, Burlington

Lowell Association for the Blind

Lowell Community Health Center

Lowell Council on Aging

Lowell Fire Department

Lowell Housing Authority

Lower Merrimack Workforce Investment Board

Lynn Community Health Center

Malden Adult Social Day Care

Malden Council on Aging

Malden Housing Authority

Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House, Cambridge

Massachusetts General Hospital/Revere Clinic

Massachusetts Veterans, Inc., Worcester

Melrose Council on Aging

Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Lowell

Metro North Regional Employment Board

Metro South/West Regional Employment Board

Middleton Council on Aging

Mission City Society
Montachusett Opportunity Council, Fitchburg, Westminster

Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, Boston

Multi-Service Center, Leominster
Mystic Valley Elder Services, Malden
National Alliance for Democracy, Cambridge

National Park Service of Lowell

National Plastics Museum, Leominster

New Beginnings, Lowell

New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans, Boston

North Brookfield Council on Aging
North Central Career Centers, Gardner and Leominster
North Central MA Workforce Investment Board

Northeastern University, Boston
North Shore Career Center, Gloucester, Lynn, Salem
North Shore Elder Services, Danvers
North Shore Medical Center, Salem

North Shore Workforce Investment Board
Office of Boston City Councilor Sam Yoon
One Lowell Coalition

Pathfinders Safe Haven, Lowell

Pepperell Council on Aging

Pepperell Housing Authority

Quincy Career Center

Quincy Community Action Programs, Inc.

Quincy Crisis Center
Quinsigammond Community Center, Worcester

Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, Cambridge
Refugee Immigrant Assistance Center, Boston

Resource Partnership, Inc., Natick

Revere Housing Authority

Rosie’s Place

Ruth’s House, Haverhill

Salem Council on Aging

Salem Cyberspace

Salem Department of Recreation & Community Service

Salem Mission

Salvation Army, Chelsea

Shelter, Inc., Cambridge
Social Security Administration, Chelsea, Gardner, Lowell

Solutions@ Work, Cambridge

Somerville YMCA

South Coastal Workforce Investment Board
Suffolk University Legal Services, Chelsea

Spanish American Center, Inc., Leominster

Springwell, Watertown

Tailored for Success, Malden

Temple Israel, Brookline

The Boston Private Industry Council
The Work Place, Boston

Three Pyramids, Fitchburg

Town of Norwood

Town of Spencer

Triangle, Inc., Malden
Tri-City Mental Health Center, Lowell
United Teen Equality Center, Lowell

Valleyworks Career Center, Haverhill and Lawrence

Waltham Community Development Corp.

WATCH, Waltham

West Boylston Council on Aging

West Brookfield Senior Center

Westwood Council on Aging

Wilmington Community Television

Wilmington Department of Elderly Services

Workforce Central, Milford, Southbridge, Worcester

Zeitgeist Gallery, Cambridge