Strategies to Engage Businesses
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Mass BizWorks
Strategies to Engage Businesses
Strategies to Engage Businesses
Yet, it can still be a challenge,
at times, trying to convince
employers to participate in
workforce development
initiatives and programs.
Strategies to Engage Businesses
We need you!
EBE
Strategies to Engage Businesses
National
Statewide
Regional
Expanding Business Engagement
The Expanding Business Engagement (EBE) Initiative is a federal initiative
commenced in June 2012 and involves thirteen states. States participating in the
initiative will focus on the goal of improving program performance through the delivery
of enhanced business-focused services stemming from a statewide business
engagement strategic plan.
Colorado
Florida
Indiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Mississippi
Montana
New Jersey
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Expanding Business Engagement
The goal of the EBE initiative for Massachusetts is to enhance and align
the services offered to MA businesses through State Workforce
Development, Economic Development, and Education entities in order to
help MA businesses grow and thrive. To achieve this goal, the state of
Massachusetts will:
1) build strong relationships across agencies and with businesses
2) develop standard staff business service knowledge and competencies
across relevant state agencies
3) coordinate and link resources and information
Mass EBE Committee Structure
Systems
Development
Marketing
Advisory
Board
Training and
Development
Mass BizWorks
Connecting businesses to state and federal resources
to meet business needs
What is Mass BizWorks?
Mass BizWorks is designed to meet business
needs.
• State and federal collaboration
• Funded by USDOL
• Connect businesses to resources
Mass BizWorks
Rapid Response help for Metro North
• Rapid Response has served
– 19 companies that affected 1163 employees from
– July 1, 2013 – June 15, 2014
• Layoff Aversion projects include
– Necco, Madico, Market Forge, Sunrise Kitchen
• Rapid Response set aside funds
– $223,333.00 for multiple companies
– National Emergency Grant - $624, 013.00
• Exciting Expansion !!
– Net Brain: Burlington hiring 300
Mass BizWorks
How Mass BizWorks can help you
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Introduce you to a wide array of services
Match you with the right services
Reduce the cost of doing business
Save you time
Successful businesses, successful economy
Mass BizWorks
Mass BizWorks and Business Cycles
Mass BizWorks can help businesses through
different cycles.
• Growth or expansion mode
• Downsizing mode: closing of facility or layoff
• Maintenance mode
• Investment in employee development mode
We have helped thousands of companies thrive.
Mass BizWorks
Mass BizWorks
Providing Services Throughout the Business Cycle
Business Scenarios
Expansion Mode
Food Processing Company located in NE Mass
Business issue: Company needed assistance to acquire a new processing facility.
The company was matched to an Economic Development Incentive Program, and received tax
incentives to fund the investment in the new plant. The company expects to create 125 new jobs in
this facility.
Hotel located in Central Mass
Business issue: Company needed assistance to build a new hotel to meet the needs of conventions in
Worcester.
Representatives from agencies in the Commonwealth and local elected officials developed a package
using the Economic Development Incentive Program. The company received tax incentives to build
the new hotel, which will create 60 permanent jobs.
Mass BizWorks
Business Scenarios
Downsizing Mode
Manufacturing company located in Greater Boston area
Business issue: Company needed to downsize and lay off workers.
The WorkShare program was used to help avert layoffs. As a result, the company was able to save
50 jobs and stayed afloat for much longer than expected. It also made the company more viable for
an eventual sale.
Manufacturing company located in Middlesex County
Business issue: Company had already made the difficult decision to close by the time they contacted
the Rapid Response Team. The company was very concerned about their employees losing their jobs
and wanted to find a way to reduce the impact on the employees. The closing affected 350 workers.
The Rapid Response team contacted other manufacturing companies in the area and placed over 100
workers in new jobs before the company even closed its doors. The other workers received on-site
services, including unemployment insurance and information about career center services and
retraining.
Mass BizWorks
Business Scenarios
Maintenance Mode – Staff Development
Workforce Training Fund
Home Health Care located in the Greater Lawrence area
Business issue: Company needed to train and certify nurses in mental health nursing,
wound care and quality control.
The company was introduced to a Workforce Training Fund grant and received
assistance on how to apply for the grant. The company received $68,200 grant to train all
eligible nurses.
Mass BizWorks
Programs and Services
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Training grants and programs
Tax credits for hiring
Incentive programs for growth or expansion
Business development/mentoring services
Manufacturing support
Workplace safety grant and consultation
Recruitment services
Layoff aversion
Mass BizWorks: One-Stop support for businesses
Mass BizWorks
Business Development
Mass BizWorks works closely with these
agencies/organizations:
• MA Office of Business Development (MOBD)
• Workforce Investment Boards
• Mass Development
• Mass MEP
Mass BizWorks
Training and Consultation
Mass BizWorks works closely with these agencies:
• Department of Career Services
• Division of Apprentice Standards
• Department of Industrial Accidents
• Department of Labor Standards
• Commonwealth Corporation
Mass BizWorks
Mass BizWorks Dash Board
Mass BizWorks
Layoff Aversion and Management
Mass BizWorks works closely with these agencies:
• Department of Career Services
• Department of Unemployment Insurance
• Massachusetts Office of Business Development
• Workforce Investment Boards
• Business Associations
• Community Colleges / Training Institutions
Mass BizWorks
Recruiting and Hiring - On the Job Training/WTF
Mass BizWorks works closely with these agencies:
• Department of Career Services
• MA Public Higher Education
Mass BizWorks
Testimonial
I wish to thank you both for your visit to our facility. It is good to
see that Massachusetts is leading the way in trying to assist small
business to survive and grow. Hopefully, we, as manufacturers,
can continue to improve enough to compete in a world economy.
The support you offer certainly will help, and the information you
gave us will be useful moving forward. Personally speaking, I
found it great to be able to sit with you folks and share our
experiences from our individual perspective.
G. Peter Belezos
President Bendon Gear and Machine, Inc
Mass BizWorks
Contact Mass BizWorks
Ken Messina Buisness Services Manager
kmessina@detma.org
617-626-5703
www.mass.gov/bizworks
bizworks@detma.org
800-252-1591
Mass BizWorks
BizWorks Resource Guide & Cards
Download the Guide and Card at:
www.mass.gov/bizworks
Mass BizWorks
Sharing EBE Ideas and Resources
Mass BizWorks
Initiatives and Activities
Regional Initiatives:
Eastern Massachusetts Tech Ready Project
Northeast MA Advanced Manufacturing Consortium
Amp it UP
Metro North Healthcare Partnership Workforce
Transformation Project
CONNECT
Connecting Activities
Skilled Careers in Life Sciences (SCILS)
Youthworks
And others
Mass BizWorks
Activities include:
Serving as an industry rep
Participating as a consortia rep
Providing internships
Offering on-the-job training
Speaking at events
Giving tours at company site
Committing to consider hiring
Bottom Line
Black
RED
Mass BizWorks
What can we do?
How can we convince employers to understand that developing
the future workforce is a shared responsibility?
How can we persuade employers that there is value in what we do
and encourage them to participate in initiatives and programs?
Mass BizWorks