I was admitted to Operation ABLE's Work/Study program a few years ago in my late Sixties. I was not…read morelooking to get a Full Time Job but I did know I wanted to either learn some Technical Computer Skills which I never thought I would ever learn at my age so that I could do some part time work somewhere or a Home Business which definitely would need Excel, Word, and make Presentations. I also learned while there they had a 'Medical Terminology Course', which would feed my previous Army Medical background and learn more up to date terms for work at a Hospital or similar area. The many weeks I was there; with the absolutely patient, understanding, and very loving and talented 'Friends' made there; I have made my life ; because of Operation ABLE's Staff much more enjoyable; and made money I never dreamed of. Let us all support this program as long as God keeps us here. They will always be part of my Heart's 'Family' and I wish them well........ A Check is on the way. Well Deserved. Frank Pignone Stoneham Mass. Age 72 and as active as 40.......due to this program.

From the owner: Since 1982, Operation ABLE, Inc., a 501(c)3 organization, has provided job seekers with training…read moreprograms and employment services. Our mission and passion is to empower our community of job seekers, the underemployed, those in career transition, and military veterans who need job support services to re-enter the workforce. We offer a variety of services including occupational and computer skills training, workshops, job search training and support, coaching and counseling, and some training programs offer internships.

Trurly a life changing experience. This is about becoming true leader in all aspect of life. Great…read morefor people look for personal growth. Requires a true commitment to self reflection and willingness breakthrough the parts of your life that are holding you back. This is for people truly want be inspiring leaders, and will to work for it.

Why join this program? What benefit will it bring to my life? Those were the questions I wondered…read moreas I entered. And what I found was beyond any ideas I could have. Learning emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and leadership of my life has changed the person that I am for a world of good. I have embraced my community in  ways I never knew I possibly could; build connected relationships that otherwise stood alone and found true meaning to each of my words. My experience at Boston Breakthrough Academy was priceless to me, a true investment into humanity and the change I want to see in the world.

I am taking classes here now and really enjoy it. I plan…read more to continue learning Spanish throughout next year.

I very rarely write reviews, but considering how happy I am with my choice to come to BASE for my…read morefirst few Spanish courses, I wanted to put it out there for others! So far I have take two courses, covering 4 total levels (Basic A-C and Intermediate A). They also offer less intensive classes as well as private and semi-private options as well, but considering I was looking for conversational practice I chose the group option. Bill (the director/owner of the program with his wife) and all of the teachers are friendly, attentive, and do their best to make you feel welcome and comfortable. This school is also located in the heart of Downtown Crossing, which made it super convenient and was among the most reasonably priced options out there (including the Centers for Adult Ed.). At first I was apprehensive to start with classes, as this is more of an "exchange", as the name implies, and has a fairly informal office space setting. However, my worries were immediately set aside when I met Bill and my teacher, Elaine. From day one I felt confident that I was in good hands. She was always engaged and focused with myself and other students, catering to the varying experience levels in my class so as not to leave anyone behind or bore anyone. While the curriculum is set by the course level, she kept the class fresh and was consistently challenging us with homework and in-class conversation sessions. I also took a few make-ups with another teacher, Ricardo, who had his own style of teaching but was equally engaged and concerned with his students' progress. Overall, I feel I gained a lot from my time so far (~14 weeks), going from someone with a very basic comprehension level and non-existent speaking skill, to a much more confident and capable reader, listener and speaker. While I still have a long ways to go, I am happy in particular with the confidence Bill and his team have built in my abilities!

Since my last review AAPT has become accredited and I've watched several graduates launch busineses…read moreand EXCEL in their careers. One graduate is well on his way to becoming a group and sports fitness trainer. Another continues to train VIP Bostonians 1:1, in high-demand, exclusive studios. And yet another has gone on to produce multiple personalized fitness programs for clients, while training and placing in fitness (and body-building) competitions. What's more, over the past few year, I've watched these graduates leverage each other in building their careers and finding their niche. That's a testament to the education AND quality of students - people who will remain colleges and peers throughout their career. At it's core, personal training is about people. If you are considering a school, instructors and student culture are important factors. AAPT seems to have nailed the formula to help you kick-start a sucessful career in personal training.

Ok so first of all, AAPT IS NOT ACCREDITED. This whole class is a scheme to get you to give them…read moreyour money, $6K for this "school" is insanely excessive and to top it off THEY DONT PAY FOR YOUR NASM EXAM!! The discount for the NASM exam is a WHOPPING $100 off a $600 test. The Diploma from AAPT means JACK to a gym looking for PTs they want the NASM CPT Certification that (you would think would be included in a school which teaches NASM curriculum) is required for MOSTLY ALL gyms ESPECIALLY outside of MA. NOT WORTH IT. The class room portion (in a 3 month class) is INCREDIBLY FAST and MORE SO needed to take the Exam then the "hands on" training which is very NON hands on seeing as the classroom instructor doesn't SHOW you how to train someone, they just show you different planes of motion and exercises you might want to use, DUMB, it should be structured for 3 MONTHS, so we can actually SEE PROGRESSION rather than come up with a different exercise for your random partner they pair you with every day. Each student should have had ONE client the whole class so they could get used to setting THAT PERSON up with a program they've been training every week so they can see PROGRESSION through ONE person so they can gauge if they actually ENJOY training someone because you're not going to LIKE all of your clients so you have to LOVE training. I really wish I knew from the get go that this class didn't INCLUDE the NASM test because I would have picked a different "trade" school to attend. Honestly, this review would have been completely avoided if the Director just did her job and submitted the normal amount of hours for the people that were in the class through disability/VA programs and didn't mess up A BUNCH of times on the submissions even when she knew that some people were living off the measly income they received from the attendance and she was too petty to care even though it wasn't her money given away but she is a DITZ and really doesn't care about anyone but herself.

J'adore la Bibliothèque Française. Je pourrais y passer des heures. J'aime parler français !! Et…read morepourquoi pas avec un nom comme Jeannine ?? C'est le seul endroit à Boston où je peux parler français, lire et écrire, sortir des CD de musique française et avoir une panoplie de livres. Le bâtiment est magnifique, avec tous ses murs blancs et ses beaux lustres. Niché dans le calme de Back Bay, c'est l'endroit idéal. J'avais l'habitude de venir avec mon whippet, Coco Chanel et de passer le temps à lire ou à regarder la télé. Leurs événements sont spectaculaires; tellement amusant, surtout les soirées des vin et des fromages. Et Le Jour de La Bastille.:) J'ai travaillé pour Air France et TWA en volant dans le monde entier en tant que Airline Supervisor; mes souvenirs. J'ai passé du temps dans le sud de la France notamment à Monte Carlo. Superbe !! La bibliothèque française offre un avant-goût de la France dans notre petite ville de Boston. J'ai les plus beaux souvenirs que je garderai a mon coeur pour toujours!!

I won't even pretend to not be biased…read more French is one of those languages that mesmerizes even the most stoic ears. I volunteered for one of their holiday events a couple weeks ago and almost moved all my earthly possessions into a broom closet. I like the building that much. The unrealized 'yupster' in me likes the entire neighborhood, actually. The Black girl in me can't get with anything gentrified. I still cringe when I order at Starbucks. Hell, is it even gentrification? Boston's so old, we could probably just call it natural change. Anyway, they offer language classes and a discount for members that teach French. They also take on volunteers and interns for all who are interested. It's a nice environment and they have an amazing library. C'est tout.

I took the Product Management Cohort at the Product School Jan-March. Steve Yonchak was our…read moreinstructor. Steve was great and he made sure that the class was interactive and meaningful for each one of us. Every session, we had fun group assignments which helped us work as a team and build our skill set on that. He made sure that the groups were divided fairly based on our backgrounds. He made sure that all our questions and concerns were answered. All his answers were practical and it gave us a good insight on how things are run product wise in a technical organization. It helped me a lot during my interview process. During the later half of the course, I was offered a job in Product management and I am glad to say that the classes which I took with Steve really helped me during the interview process. Thanks to him and Product School. I also liked the course material and how it was structured. It's quite relevant to the industry. One recommendation I have for Product School is to include more Agile specific material and get rid of Waterfall material as it's getting obscure nowadays. I would highly recommend this course to individuals looking to pivot to Product Management. It was worth the buck.

It was a really amazing experience to take Product Management class!…read moreSteve Yonchak has superior knowledge, experience and ability to deliver the material in a concise, clean manner. He was always available before/after class and through Slack to address any confusion and answer questions with clarity and gives you the most thoughtful feedback for your submissions. He made discussions interesting and meaningful so all students with different background levels feel interested to engage in the activity. Steve was always passionate about the business and truly helpful with related career advice.

This group is not what it claims to be at all. You are judged and criticized, by the leader,…read moreespecially if you have a different perspective. The group is not welcoming and it fosters a community of people who argue and fight online. The meetup page does not explain that you must answer questions to the group before you even know them. It is more like a pledging scenario, than an adult meetup group. They all seem to thrive on sexual discussions, but there is absolutely nothing of substance here. The leader has no idea how to lead a discussion, follow up with more discussion, or utilize the information provided by others. She claims to know everything, and to be an expert, yet she has been divorced 3 times and isn't even 50 yet. Her gig is to act as if she is still in her 30s, but when you meet her she is anything but. She is very dishonest about herself, but quick to judge all the others, especially women. I would not recommend this group to anyone, so many other great meetups with nice people.

Are you ever on a random journey in a new town and open to new ideas and experiences???? That was…read moreus on this very cold but sunny day in Boston. We were walking from the north end after getting fresh pastries from an amazing shop ( See my other Boston reviews) when we saw a small historical sign explaining the history of North Bennet Street School. It was bustling as we curiously peered in. As we continue to walk up to the corner where we spot a sign for an open house at the school. We immediately turned around and went back. The lobby and staff were so welcoming! They got us checked in and answered a few of my questions. They gave us a low down and a map. Each area had us exploring and listening to the enthusiasm spilling from the students. It was really interesting and inspiring. Each presentation was so specialized and well organized. We spent a good chunk of time learning about the complexity of pianos, paper making, hand bound books, architecture and more! Another highlight was talking to an older gentleman who was a first year silver smith ( yes it was super cool) who was putting the finishing touches on a ring just as we walked by. He took the time to show us all of the steps from a rod of silver to the dazzling finished ring!!!! My feedback is that they should a season or two of web series showing their talents to the world. It would also be a great STEM connection for education. So many talents and interesting people in the area. Highly recommended. I'd love to attend a class or two here!

Unprofessional is an understatement to describe how the North Bennet Street School handled my kid's…read moreapplication. The admissions committee ghosted my student after they completed all the admissions requirements in time for the priority deadline. My student received an email confirming their materials were submitted in time for the priority deadline. Following an interview, there was no notification of acceptance, rejection or placement on a wait list. Zero. Weeks went by, and then months. My student sent emails to follow up, including to the admissions director. Crickets. We parents also contacted the admissions office and director to ask about our student's application. No response to very polite emails and calls. At one point, we got a human on the phone at the admissions office who seemed to be reading from a script, saying they were reviewing applications and would reach out if they needed more info. Six months have passed since the priority application deadline. Still no word -- except that they have the nerve to keep contacting my student with marketing materials. So, clearly they have accurate contact info. Even highly selective Harvard communicates with all applicants to let them know if they're in or out. Yet, NBSS can't get its act together to offer applicants the courtesy of sending a timely rejection email. There is something seriously wrong, in my opinion, with an artisan and trade school that charges $30K a year but treats prospective applicants and families in this manner. In my view, it's a big red flag, and I'd be curious to know if others have had similar experiences.