County’s business owners invited to an important workshop June 21

WINSTON COUNTY  -  Businesses and industries throughout Winston County are being urged to take advantage of state financial incentives being offered to them to provide a better qualified and trained workforce, incentives that will be discussed during a crucial Lunch and Learn meeting Wednesday,  June 21.

The Lunch and Learn workshop will be Wednesday, June 21, from 12-1 p.m. at the Double Springs Town Hall courtroom, for companies with 50 or more employees.

“I have not had much luck going through a list of manufacturers and trying to get a hold of people,” stressed Kristi Bain, director of the Winston County Economic Development Authority. Bain added she has not had luck going to  businesses and industries and making contact with industrial or plant managers or  those in charge either.

The goal is to gather industry leaders together in the same room to hear from state officials about special incentives available for their employees.

Bain is stressing that each company should send no more that three representatives to the meeting, including human resource directors, plant managers, as well as company owners who may be available.

A catered lunch will be provided.

“I am going to be bringing in Region One leadership, so there will be people there from the workforce region. There will be people there with the Small Business Society of Alabama,” Bain stated.

Bain was referring to the Region One Workforce Council, which is comprised of business and industrial organizations with the goal to facilitate collaboration between government and industry to help Alabama have a top-notch workforce competitive on a global scale by connecting partners from education to commerce.
Also in attendance will be the Economic Development Partnerships of Alabama  with a review of all state incentives available for manufacturers in Winston County--incentives industry leaders may not know about, she stated.

The main areas of concern from industrial leaders include workforce, as well as funding on how to find a suitable workforce, according to Bain.

“We are going to go over how to receive your incentives from the state and how state incentives can be used to help grow your business or train your employees at no cost to the companies,” Bain pointed out.

“They have got to learn how to leverage all resources that are out there,” she said. “There have been very few of our Winston County current manufacturers and industries that have truly leveraged and used all of the state incentives that are out there for them.

“There has been a very low presence in incentive work from the state in Winston County because, once they come, it has got to be requested,” Bain pointed out.

“That is why I am here is to help them get those incentives,” Bain continued.
If companies are having trouble with losing employees, replacing workers, hiring new workers or finding training for new employees, Bain wants to offer her assistance with the help of available resources.  She does not want businesses or industries to bear these burdens alone.

“Let’s reach out and get people who can do all of this for you at no cost,” Bain emphasized. “A lot of times, people are scared of state entities.

“If a company is hiring (for) 10 new jobs, they get direct cash reimbursements,” Bain stated, adding most local companies are not taking advantage of these incentives.

“They need to know that, so they are saving their money and using what the state has provided for them,” Bain said. “In Winston County, they really need to be taking advantage of that.”