Adult Career Training
Biomedical Careers Program and
IT Careers Program
– Jharana Joshi Shrestha, Biomedical Careers Program Class of 2018 and Senior Manufacturing Technician, Vericel
About the Biomedical and IT Careers Programs
The Biomedical and Information Technology (IT) Careers programs train adults for sustainable life sciences or information technology careers with a pipeline to local, high-demand employment opportunities. These programs provide education and training on workforce skills aligned with industry needs, the development of soft skills that are crucial to employers, and support services that address barriers to education, employment, and career advancement.
Each nine-month, tuition-free program includes classroom instruction accompanied by hands-on learning as well as career development training, networking opportunities with professionals and employers, and ongoing job search and Alumni Services support. Program participants are able to earn college credits. Both programs are offered in English.
You may be eligible for the programs if you:
Are a Metro North area resident
Are over 18
Have your high school diploma
Have low to moderate household income
Are eligible to work in the United States
Can meet academic thresholds on adult education exams
Are interested in science and technology
We encourage applicants from any educational background, career path, or national origin to apply.
How to apply:
Our admission period is currently closed.
Please complete our inquiry form to receive email updates and information on the 2024 admissions period.
For additional questions, please contact us at [email protected] or 617-918-7520.
A New Start: Meet A Graduate
Nirmala Shrestha was working in a grocery store while searching for opportunities for a career in technology when she heard about Just A Start from a friend. After nine months of training in the Information Technology (IT) Careers Program, she earned the distinction of class valedictorian and is now working at Santander Bank as an Escalation Specialist.
“I feel really proud and honored to be one of the participants of this program. I remember coming to Just A Start for the first day as a student – I was a little bit nervous. I had a dream, but it was not well defined. Soon, after a few months, the path was clear and visible.
I was hopeful all the time and ready to face any challenges. Shifting careers from customer service in a grocery store to an IT professional has been a paradigm shift dotted with various difficulties. It was not easy at the beginning, but it was not impossible. Attending classes, working a full-time job, and doing all those assignments on time made me so strong that now I am confident to embark on any mission.
After I finished my classes, I got an opportunity to work for Santander Bank as an IT Help Desk Specialist. I received a warm welcome and encouragement from all I met at the workplace. I understand the limited presence of women in the IT sector everywhere – probably I am a vanguard in my workplace. My request is to promote women in the field of information technology. We can make a positive difference.”
Frequently Asked Questions
After about 750 hours of total class time including more than 300 hours of hands-on technical skills training, graduates are prepared to enter a variety of entry-level positions in the field!
Biomedical students graduate into roles like:
- Laboratory Technicians/Assistants
- Manufacturing Technicians
- Cell Culture Technicians
- Clinical Lab Assistants
- Animal Care Technicians
- Quality Control
IT students graduate into roles like:
- Help Desk Technicians
- Desktop Support Specialists
- Windows Deployment Technician
- PC Technician
With 500+ graduates since 1992, program graduates are employed at a variety of life sciences, technology, education, and health care companies all over the Metro North region!
Employers of graduates include:
- Accion
- Addgene
- Aerotek
- Bluebird Bio
- Boston Medical Center
- Boston Scientific
- Brigham & Women’s Hospital
- Cambridge Systematics
- City of Cambridge
- EF Education First
- ETEX Zimmer Biomet
- Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
- Granite Telecommunications
- Harvard University & Medical School
- Hebrew Rehabilitation Center
- Indigo Agriculture
- Insource Services
- Mass Biologics
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Medford Public Schools
- MIT
- Moderna
- Newton Wellesley Hospital
- Nova Biomedical
- Novartis
- NWN Corporation
- Partners HealthCare
- Pfizer
- Randstad
- Robert Half Technology
- Ryzen Solutions
- Santander Bank
- Shire Pharmaceuticals
- Silicone Therapeutics
- Spaulding Rehabilitation Network
- Sun Life Financial
- Takeda
- TEKsystems
- The Broad Institute
- Thermo Fisher
- Toast
- uniQure
- Vericel
Successful applicants will have an interest in science or technology, but no previous experience is required. Students enter the program from a wide variety of personal and professional backgrounds.
Students attend classes from 9:00am-2:00pm, Monday-Friday for approximately nine months (September-May).
Students receive approximately 23 hours of instruction each week, with additional homework time of up to 15 hours per week. During their time in the program, students who are also employed typically coordinate their work shifts on evenings and weekends to accommodate their class schedule.
The programs are free for all students! We are committed to offering tuition-free programs so that students, most of whom are also supporting families, can access higher-earning careers without accumulating student debt or having their income be a barrier. Students are responsible for getting themselves to class – parking is limited, but our classes are easily reachable by public transportation.
Just A Start partners with many corporations, foundations, and government agencies to fund the Biomedical and IT Careers Programs. Please visit our Partnership page for information about supporting the programs!