Press Releases

Massachusetts—April 16, 2008. On Friday, May 16 the Better Business Bureau of Central New England and WorkTerrain together with the Commonwealth Corporation will present a free seminar on the Workforce Training Fund grant program. Sponsored by Percy's Appliances, the program will be held from 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Registration and networking begins at 7:30 a.m. The program will be held at Percy's Appliances, 19 Glennie Street in Worcester.

Representatives from the Commonwealth Corporation's Applicant Assistance Program will present this information-packed seminar to help business determine which Workforce Training Fund Grant is right for their company. They will offer a detailed overview of workforce training fund grants, explain how the funding is allocated, and discuss what resources are available to assist employers in writing and submitting the grants.

"Training programs such as soft skills, computer skills, technical, and safety training have become a necessary cost of doing business. In order to stay competitive, retain employees, and build a stronger revenue base it is vital for companies to keep the skill levels of their employees current. While the cost of training may be prohibitive to many companies, it does not need to be," said Rena Hannaford, CEO of Wilmington-based WorkTerrain. "The Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund has a grant program for employers to train their MA-based employees. With these grants, employers incur little or no direct, out-of-pocket subcontracted training costs."

Examples of soft skills training include Managing Today's Diverse Workforce, Developing and Training Key Employees, Dealing With Difficult People, Customer Service workshops, Building Resilience, and Stress Management. "These types of workshops teach vital competencies that are integral to a progressive organization," said Hannaford.

On the technical training side, examples include seminars on Effective Team Building for Managers, Lean Six Sigma for Manufacturing or Service Industries, Value Stream Management. Kepner Tregoe, Managing Technology. The full selection of training seminars and workshops can be perused on the WorkTerrain web site, www.workterrain.com.

The free, May 16 seminar on the Workforce Training Fund grant program is limited to fifty attendees. To reserve placement, contact Anne Ide, Director of Business Development at WorkTerrain by telephone at 508-330-6621, or via e-mail annieide@workterrain.com no later than Tuesday, May 13.

KidsTerrain, Inc. is a products and services resource company for children and families and the people whose lives affect them. For more information on KidsTerrain, Inc. visit www.kidsterrain.com or call the corporate office located in Wilmington, MA at 978- 658-2131.