Good morning #Chamber World! It's going to be a GREAT day!
2K+ credentials awarded through New Economy Workforce program
Virginia community colleges provided workforce training that enabled 2,173 Virginians to secure industry-recognized credentials, licenses, and certifications needed for high-demand careers, in the first year of the New Economy Workforce Credentials Grant program.
Governor McAuliffe awarded the 2,172nd and 2,173rd credentials at an event commemorating this achievement this afternoon. This milestone nearly triples the number of people who were credentialed last year, bringing the total to 4,268 Virginians.
More than half of the credential earners, 2,173, took advantage of the New Economy Workforce Credentials Grant program. Training for the remaining 2,095 credentials was funded by employers, federal grants, or other private sources.
“Today’s announcement is a landmark achievement for our workforce development efforts,” said Governor Terry McAuliffe speaking at the announcement event. “Clearly, the timing was right for this innovative initiative to help our businesses find qualified workers and empower more Virginians to seek good-paying jobs. In partnership with the General Assembly and our public and private sector partners, we are filling key gaps in the workforce pipeline and putting more Virginians to work in the new Virginia economy.”
“Whether we’re attracting new businesses to Virginia or helping our existing employers grow and compete, we need to continually strengthen our workforce,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Todd Haymore. “Today’s announcement marks a nearly 180 percent increase in earned credentials in the first year of this program. This significant growth is a great sign for what we can do for Virginia’s workforce moving forward.”
With broad bipartisan support, the 2016 General Assembly created the New Economy Workforce Credential Grant Fund and program to encourage more Virginians to prepare for careers that require specialized training, but not necessarily college degrees. This fund provides grants covering two-thirds of the tuition for students who are enrolled in a workforce training program designed to fill in-demand jobs in their home region.
The year before the new workforce training grant program went into effect, community colleges provided training for 1,528 Virginians to earn those professional credentials.
“This success is a tribute to the power of collaboration,” said Glenn DuBois, Chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges. “As we ramped up our workforce training capacity to respond to the new state grants program, we also created new training opportunities that motivated students to tap into a variety of other funding sources.”
“This is a significant milestone in Virginia’s efforts to better align the workforce system to help close the skills gap and prepare Virginians for good careers in high priority industries,” added Mark Herzog, Chair of the Virginia Board of Workforce Development.
Virginia’s businesses are eager to hire workers with a wide variety of skills in fields ranging from information technology and advanced manufacturing to education, health care, logistics and transportation. By pursuing industry-recognized credentials, students can qualify for promising careers in weeks or months instead of semesters and years, and without incurring large amounts of student debt.
“Through better and more accessible training, Virginia is boosting its ability to create a 21st century workforce,” said Barry DuVal, President and CEO of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. “This is great news for our business community and for people who are starting out or getting a fresh start on their careers.” Read more: Augusta Free Press
#FamousChamber of Commerce Quotation: (Abraham Lincoln): "A House Divided against itself..."
"A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become lawful in all the States, old as well as new — North as well as South."
Chamber idea: Naperville Jaycees
Help Fund Smart Park
“We need to stay in front. We always have. And this is one of those projects that will keep us in front,” said Naperville Mayor, Steve Chirico.
That project? An outdoor smart park – now closer to becoming a reality thanks to a legacy donation from the Naperville Jaycees. The mayor, along with Councilman Kevin Coyne and other longtime Jaycees made a strong case to the group to back the project with a $200,000 donation – a prospect met with an overwhelming yes.
“I’ve always had this vision of wanting to do something significant for our community,” said Matt Eastman, Internet Vice President of the Naperville Jaycees. “And to see that all of our members kind of got behind this idea, and saw its kind of significance for the Naperville community, it’s pretty incredible to see what our organization has done and to kind of use this as a roadmap for what we can do in the future.”
The idea for an outdoor office park next to the municipal center initially came from Chamber President Nicki Anderson, who was trying to find ways to attract newer companies and younger workers to Naperville. The Mayor backed the idea, making it a talking point in his State of the City address this year.
“The space would provide Wi-Fi, power outlets, shade and seating for users. We’re still in the dream stage, and we’re continuing to work on this, but sometimes it helps when you can see your dreams coming to life before your eyes,” said Chirico at the 2017 State of the City Address.
And that dream is now achievable with the Jaycees financial commitment. They’ll foot nearly half of the $412,000 bill for the internet park – and in return, secure naming rights. The other portion of the funding has been secured from private donors. Read more: NCTV 17
Front Royal Warren County Community Profile & Membership Directory 2017
The Front Royal Warren County Community Profile & Membership Directory 2017 is available at the Front Royal Warren County Chamber of Commerce today! Thank you to Niki Foster and Pam Riffle and the Chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!
Town Square Publications (www.townsquarepublications.com) can help you accomplish your chamber's gloss map, directory, community profile or publication needs at no expense to the chamber. Please email John Dussman at jdussman@tspubs.com or call (847)-427-4633.
Sheboygan-area young professionals get course on gun safety
They’re loud.”
That was Joshua McKinley’s succinct warning before about a dozen young adults reached for polished firearms — and individually packaged sets of earplugs — and began shooting at nearby paper targets.
The Coastal Young Professionals Network, part of the Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce, sponsored an “Intro to Firearm Safety” program Tuesday evening at the Sheboygan Rifle and Pistol Club. McKinley, a leader with the network and a self-described firearms hobbyist, said the effort was largely aimed at introducing guns to people who might not otherwise get much exposure to them.
Likening it to rock-wall climbing or piloting an airplane, McKinley, himself a young professional, said shooting can be a tough hobby for newcomers to get into if they don’t have an experienced guide to show them the ropes. Millennials and young adults these days, he said, often lack opportunities to get introduced to firearms, and Tuesday’s program was aimed at filling that experience gap.
“Guns can be dangerous, just like a chainsaw,” McKinley told the handful of young adults who showed up to the rifle and pistol club’s lakeside shooting range. Like a chainsaw, he said, guns can be used to hurt people. But they also make handy tools when used safely.
After going over a few safety tips and talking briefly about how guns can be used — for anything from hunting to sport; from defense to antique collecting — attendees paired up with volunteers who showed them how to handle and shoot a small cache of handguns and rifles.
Then things got loud. Read more: Sheboygan Press
Grand Rapids Area Chamber: It's that exciting time of year again
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Video: Columbus Lowndes County Chamber Of Commerce Annual Luncheon
The who’s, who among Columbus-Lowndes County, turned out to honor those who’ve gone above and beyond for the community.
In the annual Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce luncheon, members cast a light on the success of the programs and events the chambers held throughout the year, also awarded outstanding volunteers, businesses and members of the chamber.
C.L.C.C. president Lisa James says the members work so hard during the year this is just a small way to show chamber appreciation.
“The chamber is vital to the success of the business community here. If you want to be a successful business in Columbus you need to join the chamber. We are doing amazing things minimize road blocks or speed bumps in the business climate so that you can have a successful business,”C.L.C.C. president Lisa James.
The award categories included; volunteer of the year, new member of the year, and small, medium, and large business of the year. WCBI
Kyndle: Farm to Table event leaves a good taste in your mouth
Food and fun might be the best words to describe Kyndle's annual Farm to Table event.
People appeared to be having fun as they sampled food dishes at Farm to Table on Monday evening at the Henderson County Fairgrounds. The food was prepared as a partnership between Henderson Farmers Market vendors and local restaurants.
"We see a lot of people at this event that we don't normally see at other Kyndle events," said organizer Chuck Stinnett, Kyndle's vice president of chamber services and public relations "This is definitely opening up the umbrella for other people."
The event is a fundraiser for the Henderson Farmers Market and Kyndle agriculture committee. During the Henderson County Fair, which will be held July 20-July 25, the Kyndle ag committee will buy a pig or goat that will benefit a young FFA student, Stinnett said.
"It is a fundraiser, but a really big part of it is to just expose the Farmers Market to the public and let them see where the possibilities are," he said. Read more: The Gleaner
Chamber conference: Preparing healthy meals with limited time
Anne Meer and Holly Pray, Decatur County Memorial Hospital, Greensburg, registered dietitians, presented "Nutrition for Working Women" during the recent Little Black Dress Women in Business Conference.
"We juggle a lot of things in our lives, and we want to help you," Pray announced.
"What does a wonder woman eat? You need the five food groups: complex carbohydrates; fruits and vegetables – the more color you get on your plate, the more nutrients you're getting; lean protein; calcium; and healthy fats."
When it comes to making food, she suggested setting aside two hours one day a week for meal preparations. During this time, "wash your fruits and vegetables; cook the plain protein, such as chicken – You can season it later; and pre-portion snacks."
Meer noted, "The freezer is incredibly helpful, and it's great to have the meat done in advance .... You can even separate it into what you need before you freeze it."
Pray reported, "Egg cups are quick and easy to do, and you can make them in advance and freeze them for busy mornings (please see box). You can add whatever (ingredients) your family prefers."
Meer added, "They warm up so nice in the morning."
This recipe also has these benefits, the duo revealed:
• Protein, "which helps avoid midmorning hunger";
• Veggies "to help you get a head start on your five to seven servings per day";
• The "cheese adds calcium";
• "You can eat it with a slice of toast or fruit for a nutritious combo of protein and carbohydrates"; and
• "It's lower in sodium than typical breakfast sandwiches."
Meer also recommended a yogurt parfait for the first meal of the day. "You can make it with good, healthy ingredients. Start with Greek yogurt, which is higher in calcium and protein than other kinds. You can wash and cut the fruit ahead of time. Choose frozen or fresh seasonal fruit to add extra vitamins and fiber to your breakfast. Blueberries thaw very quickly. Granola adds a great crunch and flavor to it."
Pray said, "For the kale, quinoa and avocado salad, if you don't like kale, you could use a spring mix or romaine lettuce. Quinoa has a ton of protein and fiber, which keeps you fuller longer. Avocados give us great healthy fats and nutrients."
For a quick supper, she reported, "you can use the chicken you prepared earlier," flavoring it with lemon pepper.
"You can add roasted veggies, which are tossed with oil and salt and put in the oven," Meer noted. "Roasting adds a great flavor."
Pray said, "You can make some extra potatoes and use them for potato salad or soup later. This will save time on busy nights .... The leftover chicken can also be used for chicken salad or soup."
What is the best way to get children to eat vegetables?
Meer, who has four sons, emphasized, "I like to add flavor to my vegetables. When you add a little butter or salt to them, I find my kids are much more likely to eat them. They're growing and they need nutrients from fat as well.
"I also find ways to slide things in. With milder vegetables like zucchini or squash, I add them to other vegetables if they're the same color. I have found that if I keep trying different ways to prepare vegetables, my kids will eat them. I have one son that doesn't like asparagus, but I've been trying it on the grill, and he loves it.
"In our house, they have to take two bites of something they don't like. We talk about how sometimes your taste changes. After they try it, if they say they don't like it, that's fine .... Once it becomes a fight, it sticks in their mind. If it's not a fight, they're much more likely to try it."
The conference, which was sponsored by the Greensburg/Decatur County Chamber of Commerce with assistance from the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce, was held at Greensburg Elementary School. Read more: Batesville Herald Tribune
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