Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | October 1, 2018 | Worcester Business Journal 25 C ontinuing education is key to remaining competitive in our rapidly changing economy. is applies not only to individuals, but businesses. An educated workforce is a huge asset in an industry. Workforce training happens organ- ically at most businesses, oen on an as-needed basis. But it isn't enough to allow training to happen when new staff come on board or when new equipment is part of the equation. You have to be proactive and educate your workforce in a meaningful way. Train- ing improves your company by: • Improved employee communica- tion skills for better internal and external coordination • Cross-trained employees capable of performing addi- tional functions • Reduced time correcting mistakes • Employees better equipped to adapt to changes • Improved sales and increased profit Training your workforce can take many forms. At Mount Wachusett Community College, we oen lean on our internal experts to disseminate their expertise. With larger organizations such as ours, it is possible to hold training sessions where experts from one division, such as informa- tion-technology, educate others. Bringing in outside experts is another classic tactic to build up knowledge. ese types of trainings can certainly be effective. However, they have their limitations and costs. ese challenges can be especial- ly large barriers for small and midsized companies. One of the exciting opportunities available for training in Massachusetts is the Workforce Training Fund. Annually, 187,000 Massachusetts businesses pay into it. In turn, each year approximately $21 million in grant money is awarded to help businesses enhance and expand employee skills. is fund allows trainers to develop and implement programs specific to a particular employer's needs. Once you reach out to a trainer, they are able ease access to funds and set up training. I am a huge fan of this program, and not just because MWCC is a trainer. I value this program because of the positive impact I see it having on our local businesses. Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Rosalin Acosta visited with a local credit union in the midst of a two-year leadership training program funded through the Workforce Training Fund. Apart from learning about leadership models and about themselves, employees in this program spoke with her about the chance this training gave them to work with others from across the institution. ese students felt this investment in their abilities showed their employer valued them. is is one of those intangibles impacting every aspect of your business. Work- ers who feel valued due to these investments and who know their employers are concerned about the employees' future, are more likely to work productively and remain loyal. is is why I encourage everyone to explore workforce training. You need to find what is right for your company. We have a team dedicated to this, but whatever avenue you choose, just remember to keep it focused on your needs. James Vander Hooven is president of Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner. Let's get creative Educate your employees V I E W P O I N T E D I T O R I A L I n the last decade, Central Massachusetts has become a hot spot for creative restaurateurs, brewers and distillers growing their locally owned establishments. Who knew that's where we'd find a niche that's really building the region's brand. While established leaders like the Worcester Restaurant Group – owners of the legendary Sole Proprietor, 111 Chop House and VIA Italian Table – and Westminster's Wachusett Brewing have been doing their thing for more than 25 years, today's vibrant scene is being fed by a whole new generation of artisans and entrepreneurs. Attractive rents, near- by agricultural resources and an overall high quality of life have combined to make the region's food & drink industry boom – and the word is getting out. Making it in the restaurant business has always been a dicey proposition, with many starting with a penchant for cooking but little acumen for run- ning a business. Industry leader Michael Covino and his Niche Hospitality Group in Worcester have proven you can be creative and run a success- ful multi-location business. Now entrepreneurs like Jared Forman, the co-owner and chef behind Worcester restaurants deadhorse hill and simjang, are teaming with local farmers to create unique cuisine hitting the refresh button on a daily basis. While everyone's competing for customers, sto- ries of collaboration among local brewers is almost legendary, and even in the restaurant business, leaders like B.T.'s Smokehouse's Brian Treitman of Sturbridge are becoming known for coaching and advising other small business owners on how to manage a sustainable enterprise. e stories go on throughout Worcester County: Rick Walton BY JAMES VANDER HOOVEN Special to the Worcester Business Journal James Vander Hooven The Worcester Business Journal welcomes letters to the editor and commentary submissions. Please send submissions to Brad Kane, editor, at bkane@wbjournal.com. WO R D F R O M T H E W E B opened the Gardner Ale House to satisfy his passion for beer-making and now has developed his own retail brand in Moon Hill Brewing; power foodies Robert Fecteau and Avra Hoffman turned a passion of selling fresh-baked bread out of their car into the Canal Dis- trict's cornerstone eatery BirchTree Bread Co.; and the owners of Charlton's Tree House Brewing continue to work eight days a week riding the magic wave of their national reputation for award-winning brews. e list goes on and on, and the sustained momentum has been impressive and unexpected. Is Central Massachusetts going to have restaurants listed in the Michelin Guide and compete with larger foodie cities? It's hard to say how wide the draw for Central Mass. gastronomical offerings can expand to, but already the region has made the pie bigger, attracted excitement, brought added media attention. ere are several elements to the success here, but affordability cannot be underestimated. Central Massachusetts is able to embrace young creatives like Forman and Fecteau where in a larger market they might be still paying their dues or running smaller, less influential operations. Being in the middle of Massachusetts farm country doesn't hurt either. Having ready access to fresh food and a built-in network to seek out more means these entrepreneurs can continue to experiment without having to stretch their supply chain too thin. Much as been made of Worcester's cultural resur- gence in the past decade, and the underpinnings of its success are in no small part due to the strength of new restaurants and breweries. Indeed, this is a mo- ment we all ought to appreciate in how the creative economy is thriving in Central Massachusetts. We are having our cake, and a good beer to boot. Tweets of the week "The @WBJournal @ GrantSWelker details another reason why cost of housing in Massachusetts is so high: we have the biggest construction worker gap in the country." - Massachusetts Housing Partnership (@mhphousing), Sept. 22, on a WBJ story about the state's shortfall in construction workers "Thanks @CharlieBakerMA! Does the Governor know there are communities in Massachusetts outside of Metro Boston? I'll be voting for @jay4ma in November." - K8! K8! K8! (@ibrokemyserious), Sept. 19, on a WBJ story about Worcester's median income falling by almost 6 percent last year Facebook feedback "Wine from Santorini would get me there!!!!" - Philip Pam Economou, Sept. 25, on a WBJ story about Meze Greek Tapas moving into the space formerly occupied by The Usual and The Chameleon. "S L O W W A L K I N G" - Steven Pascal, Sept. 20, on a State House News Service story about the Cannabis Control Commission not reviewing final licenses for retail cannabis stores in September W W

• Cover