MassHire Franklin Hampshire Career Center merges with Workforce Board

Sarah Wilson, co-executive director of MassHire Franklin Hampshire, at the agency’s Greenfield offices.

Sarah Wilson, co-executive director of MassHire Franklin Hampshire, at the agency’s Greenfield offices. STAFF PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ

By CHRIS LARABEE

Staff Writer

Published: 07-18-2025 12:37 PM

Modified: 07-18-2025 7:03 PM


GREENFIELD — The MassHire Franklin Hampshire Career Center and the MassHire Franklin Hampshire Workforce Board officially merged this month, as the agencies seek to bring coordinated, comprehensive employment services to the North Quabbin region and Franklin and Hampshire counties.

The merged organization is now known simply as MassHire Franklin Hampshire, and it will continue to offer the same services to job seekers, employers, training providers and community partners. The merging of the career center and workforce board brings the oversight and policy leadership of the latter together with the direct services and employer engagement expertise of the former.

Sarah Wilson, the agency’s co-executive director alongside Maura Geary, said they pursued the merger because of the uncertain economic future, which will likely bring more people seeking services.

“It was sort of precipitated by the uncertainty we’re seeing in the future. This was a way for us to make sure we could be stable no matter what comes,” Wilson explained. “When we see economic instability, there is an increase in the need for our services. We want to make sure we’re setting the foundation for long-term stability and impact.”

With the agencies already sharing a location, costs and information technology, as well as sometimes earning the same federal grants, Wilson said it also just makes sense to bring everything under the same umbrella. Additionally, she said the merger means both the career center and workforce board will now operate under one budget, which “makes us a lot more nimble in terms of what we can do.”

“We’re really looking to be able to streamline our operations and focus the energy where it matters most,” Wilson said, “which is delivering high-quality workforce services, especially in a changing economy.”

MassHire Franklin Hampshire will continue to operate out of its 101 Munson St. office in Greenfield, Suite 210, as well as its Northampton office, and will further expand partnerships with local schools, businesses, economic development agencies and social service providers.

Allison van der Velden, chair of the MassHire Franklin Hampshire board of directors, said the merger will ensure the agency can deliver effective services to the region.

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“The merger is a natural next step in the evolution of our work,” van der Velden said in a statement. “It strengthens our ability to deliver results and ensures that public workforce dollars are used efficiently, effectively and equitably.”

MassHire Franklin Hampshire will remain in the statewide MassHire network, which connects people to jobs and employers across Massachusetts. For more information about the network, visit mass.gov/masshire-career-centers.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.