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20 Worcester Business Journal | April 4, 2022 | wbjournal.com F O C U S M A N U F A C T U R I N G E X C E L L E N C E A W A R D S ARCHITECTURE | PLANNING | DESIGN INNOVATION 50 Speen Street, Ste 300, Framingham, MA 01701 Photo: © Keitaro Yoshioka 617-467-3119 MATZCollaborative.com CREATIVE SPACES FOR LEARNING, GROWING AND SUSTAINING Hebert promotes manufacturing education T wo centuries ago, the Blackstone Valley region served as a cornerstone of industrial development in the U.S., with some of the country's first mills and factories sending their goods up and down the valley's canals between the burgeoning cities of Worcester and Providence. Now, Jeannie Hebert is hoping to keep that manufacturing spirit alive and well in the region. "e Blackstone Valley is the birth- place of the American Industrial Revo- lution," said Hebert. "Manufacturing is our whole background." Hebert serves as the president and CEO of the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce, which serves Massa- chusetts businesses located in towns between Worcester and Providence, such as Millbury, Sutton, and North- bridge. She has worked for the chamber since 2008, having previously worked in marketing at the Central Massachusetts Convention and Visitors Bureau. A member of the family behind the Shrewsbury-based Hebert Candies, she was well-versed in the manufacturing business before taking on the role. As president and CEO, Hebert has focused the chamber's efforts on ensuring the area's manufacturers are able to acquire workers with the necessary skills need- ed to succeed in today's economy. "My involvement began to grow when we were getting more and more reports from our manufacturers that they were unable to obtain skilled em- ployees," said Hebert. "ey were able to fill extra shis, they had the work- force, but the skills just weren't there." ough the region has its own vocational school, the Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School, Hebert discovered many of the students were choosing to attend col- lege instead of entering the workforce with the skills they had been trained on. To remedy the situation, Hebert worked with local legislators to secure a grant from the Massachusetts Depart- ment of Elementary & Secondary Ed- ucation to found the Blackstone Valley Education Hub in 2018, which trains students to get certification in skills like welding and regulatory safety. e educational hub works with other organizations like the Graon Job Corps Center and the Worcester Coun- ty Sheriff 's Office to help adults who are in need of acquiring job skills, such as those recently released from prison trying to enter employment. "ey blow me away with their skills, their ambition, what they do, their knowledge," she said of students. "It's just amazing, and we're changing lives." Hebert hopes to continue educating the next generation of workers and helping more women enter the manu- facturing industry. "Some of our students are women now, though they are in the minority," she said. "But we are promoting women in trades. It's a great job. You can make great money, and if you have the apti- tude, never work another day in your life, because it's fun." BY ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL Special to WBJ Jeannie Hebert (far left) works with manu- facturing students on a production machine. Manufacturing Champion J e a n n i e H e b e r t President & CEO Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce Location: Whitinsville Birthplace: Worcester Residence: Shrewsbury Early origins: "The Blackstone Valley is the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution, so manufacturing is near and dear to our hearts. American manufacturing helped shape the country from the beginning. It supports global and national economies, as well as individuals and families. It makes sense to provide support, advice, and advocacy, especially to our local manufacturers." W Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce Blackstone Valley Education Hub Board of Directors Congratulations Jeannie Hebert - Manufacturing Champion!