As the head of the second largest chamber of commerce in Central Mass., Nascimento has built up clout with his 800 member businesses. This year, he used that goodwill to go on an advocacy tour calling for comprehensive Massachusetts education reform.
More than just reallocating the state education budget to new priorities or just throwing a billion more dollars at the issue, Nascimento came up with an elaborate plan to provide employers – particularly those in northern Worcester County – with the workers they need today while ensuring the workforce has the skills necessary to build a competitive economy in the future. Under his leadership, the chamber gives out $50,000 annually in scholarships to local high school seniors and connects companies with potential interns and apprentices.
Where is the community headed? North Central Mass. is well positioned, with a high-quality workforce, tremendous quality of life, affordability, great infrastructure and collaborative spirit.
The Iberian: I have dual citizenship! While I was born in the U.S., my parents were immigrants from Portugal. A few years ago, I applied for Portuguese citizenship to connect back with my cultural heritage.
