Building Skills and Creating Opportunities with Westover Job Corps
Building Skills and Creating Opportunities with Westover Job Corps
At Amherst Innovative Living, building community includes creating opportunities for people to learn, grow, and put their skills to work. Through our partnership with Westover Job Corps, we’ve welcomed motivated students to our maintenance team, where they gain hands-on experience while helping us prepare apartments for new residents.
We were proud to see this partnership featured in Westover’s July/August 2026 newsletter, highlighting the students’ contributions and the connections we’ve built together.
From a Career Fair to a Growing Partnership
The partnership began when Miream Sierra, Special Projects and Recruitment Manager, attended a Westover career fair. A connection with Westover staff led to conversations with their former Work-Based Learning Coordinator, Justin Cote, and an opportunity to bring students onto our team during our busy summer turnover season.
With more than 130 apartments to prepare between move-out and move-in dates, students had opportunities to apply their training in painting, drywall repair, hand tools, and general apartment preparation. Five Westover students joined us during the partnership’s first year. Since then, returning students and new participants have continued to contribute their skills, energy, and enthusiasm.
Putting Training into Practice
Working alongside experienced maintenance technicians, students gain exposure to the daily responsibilities of maintaining apartment communities. They follow detailed apartment preparation checklists, participate in morning team meetings, and learn how to organize assignments and communicate with residents and vendors. The experience also emphasizes safety and responsible maintenance practices, including proper paint disposal, appliance-part recycling, and smoke and carbon monoxide detector installation and testing.
Returning participant Beijbel Pierre, an Advanced Training HVAC student, has applied his technical knowledge while taking on greater responsibility. His experience has included managing his own work orders, documenting completed work in our software, and communicating directly with residents.
These opportunities help students connect their classroom training with practical experience while building confidence and independence.
Recognizing Talent and Growth
The students’ contributions have made a lasting impression on our team. Alex Laguerra Sierra, our Director of Property Management, described them as “rock stars” in the newsletter, recognizing the enthusiasm and dedication they bring to their work. For some participants, the partnership has also created a path to continued employment. Westover alumnus, Aboubacar Cisse, joined the AIL team in March, demonstrating how an initial work opportunity can grow into a longer-term role.
Students have helped strengthen the partnership themselves by referring fellow Westover participants and encouraging others to get involved.
Connecting Through Community
Our work together has extended beyond apartment maintenance. Westover students have also joined AIL in community projects, including planting trees in Amherst—another way to contribute to the community where we live and work. We’re grateful to Westover Job Corps, its staff, and every student who has been part of this partnership. Their hard work helps us welcome residents into well-prepared homes, while their curiosity and determination remind us how much can grow from an opportunity to learn. We look forward to continuing this partnership and supporting the next group of skilled professionals as they build their futures.
