Unemployment Rate Improved to 3.4 Percent Last Month

Source: State House News Service
Author: Chris Lisinski

Massachusetts employers added 13,800 jobs in September, a significant increase after a revision cut down previously reported August gains, while the statewide unemployment rate ticked downward to 3.4 percent, labor officials announced Friday.

The job growth in September was driven by major gains in leisure and hospitality, which added 7,500 positions month-over-month, and education and health services, which added 5,100 positions.

The statewide unemployment rate also shed two-tenths of a percentage point as it fell from 3.6 percent in August to 3.4 percent in September, according to the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. That’s slightly lower than the national rate of 3.5 percent for September.

Labor officials last month announced that the Bay State added 6,400 new jobs in August, but on Friday they said they had revised that figure down to an increase of just 800 jobs.

Job growth has been steady during the recovery from the early upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, but total Massachusetts employment in September 2022 still lagged February 2020 — the final full month before the pandemic hit — by about 48,400 jobs.

Legislation to supercharge the state’s economy with billions of dollars in spending remains in limbo on Beacon Hill after Democrats, flummoxed by the emergence of nearly $3 billion in mandatory tax refunds, hit pause at the end of July.

Chamber Hosts Regional Bus Tour to Promote Manufacturing

In recognition of National Manufacturing Month, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and its economic development arm, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation, recently partnered with regional organizations to host a unique manufacturing bus tour as part of the Chamber’s Education Compact Initiative. The initiative is aimed to further partnerships between the region’s K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and the region’s employers to collectively work to advance the region’s workforce.

The tour, which was held on Wednesday, October 19, provided education, civic and community leaders, economic development officials and the media, an opportunity to learn more about—and the importance of—manufacturing in the region as a way to promote careers in the industry. The regional organizations involved included the MassHire North Central Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board and Mount Wachusett Community College.

Participants visited several manufacturing companies where they obtained an insider’s look at how select manufacturers operate, and also learned about the growing job opportunities in manufacturing and the necessary skill-sets for employment.

Tour stops included Solvus Global, an advanced manufacturer located in Leominster that specializes in the areas of additive manufacturing, machine learning, and sustainable materials processing; Burkart Flutes and Piccolos, a company founded in 1982 that specializes in the precision manufacturing of high quality flutes and piccolos; Jabil, a worldwide contract manufacturer of various medical devices and medical equipment; and Mount Wachusett Community College’s Devens Manufacturing Center, which offers technical training in a number of different areas, including advanced manufacturing. The tour also included a lunch presentation and discussion with Branner Stewart, Project Manager for the UMass Donahue Institute. Mr. Stewart highlighted the findings of a recent workforce study commissioned by the Chamber.

North Central Massachusetts boasts the largest concentration of manufacturing in the state, with one-third of all private wages in the region paid from manufacturing jobs. Companies range from the world-class plastics industry cluster of more than 140 companies to pharmaceuticals, photonics and paper as well as biomedical devices

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“The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation remain committed to supporting and growing this critical sector of the region’s economy while also building successful partnerships between businesses and the region’s schools which are critical to the collective, ongoing efforts of keeping manufacturing alive and well in the region,” said Roy Nascimento, President and CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “Manufacturers are some of the most well-paid, highly trained and in demand employees in the workforce, yet despite competitive wages and training, they are still challenged with recruiting the workers they need. We hope this tour provided our local educators, civic and community leaders, and the media, an opportunity to learn more about the jobs available in the region as the need for more young workers and a skills gap exists among the existing and transitioning workforce.”

“Manufacturing continues to be a priority industry in North Central Massachusetts,” said Jeffrey Roberge, Executive Director, MassHire North Central Workforce Board. “Many thanks to the North Central Chamber for hosting this important event as it brings together our legislators, educators and employers to learn more about this vital sector.”

“This tour proves how the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce commits itself to advanced manufacturing in the region,” said James L. Vander Hooven, Ed.D., President, Mount Wachusett Community College. “Mount Wachusett Community College remains dedicated to providing educational training opportunities to meet the growing needs of local business and industry.”

The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce wishes to thank and acknowledge the support and assistance of the following partners who helped make the event possible: MassHire North Central Workforce Board; Solvus Global; Burkart Flutes and Piccolos; Jabil; and Mount Wachusett Community College.

For more information on the manufacturing bus tour or the North Central Massachusetts Education Compact Initiative, please contact the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce at 978.353.7600.

North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation approves financing to Magic Treasures

Funding to support business in Fitchburg

The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, recently approved a $10,000 loan to Magic Treasures, located at 914 Main Street in Fitchburg.

The loan will be utilized toward working capital and creates one full-time and one part-time job at the business. The funding follows a matching loan of $10,000 from the City of Fitchburg, and a small grant for façade improvements as part of Fitchburg’s North of Main program.

Following a career as a dental assistant, Keila Jardim, owner of Magic Treasures, decided to pursue her passion in mystical arts and open a business focusing on the health benefits of crystals. With this in mind, Magic Treasures sells specialty gift items with a focus on crystal sales and other novelty gift items for the alternative health care, and the mystical and spiritual niche market. The company was established September 2020, and recently relocated from Leominster to Main Street in Fitchburg. Keila received assistance with her business plan from NewVue Communities.

Jardim emigrated to America from Brazil when she was 16 years old. In Brazil, she resided in an area known for significant mining. “It was through this association that I developed a life-long passion and knowledge of crystals and their uses for health and mindful well-being,” she said.

“Many thanks to the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation for their support of helping me achieve my dream of being a business owner,” said Jardim. “With this support, I am able to hire staff and continue to grow my business in downtown Fitchburg.”

As a microloan lender, NCMDC can provide loans to small businesses up to $250,000 for working capital, real estate, equipment, inventory, expansion and working with our banking partners to provide gap financing for the final piece of a project.

For more information about the NCMDC loan programs, please call 978.353.7607 or visit NorthCentralMass.com or ChooseNorthCentral.com.

Growth, Opportunity, and Innovation at the Crossroads of Manufacturing In North Central Massachusetts

Burkart Flutes & PiccolosFor more than a century, North Central Massachusetts has served as the center of this state’s traditional, legacy manufacturing, making manufacturing one of the most important economic drivers in the region’s niche employment cluster. From the history of Foster Grant, L.S. Starrett and Simonds Industries to Bristol-Myers Squibb, Solvus Global and Wonder Plunger, North Central Massachusetts has served as a crossroads where companies work hard to recruit and retain local workers, a place with a strong local job market and an affordable lifestyle close by New England’s largest cities.

“I’ve lived in the region for close to twenty years, and it was the area’s manufacturing environment that drew me to open my business here,” said Lillian Burkart, Founder, Burkart Flutes and Piccolos, a Shirley-based manufacturer of high-end flutes and piccolos. “This area brings tremendous opportunity in terms of jobs because it is an affordable area to raise a family with many amenities but is still close to the region’s largest cities.”

Burkart Flutes and Piccolos opened for business in 1982 in Stoneham but after being priced out of that market, found themselves in Acton. In 2006, after doing some research on how to make her business more affordable, Burkart made the decision to move to Phoenix Park in Shirley. Close to the intersection of Routes 495 and 2, Shirley offered lower overhead costs. “There’s no better place to be in the state,” Burkart added. “Several of us are manufacturers in this area and it’s truly a hub of innovation and activity.”

Lillian Burkart, founder of Burkart Flutes & Piccolos in ShirleyAs a relatively new manufacturing company, Solvus Global opened for business in 2017 with two employees and zero square footage of manufacturing space. Today, the company boasts 54 employees and 48,000 square feet of manufacturing space serving the aerospace, defense, and recycling industries. As post-doctorate graduates from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, co-founders Sean Kelly and Aaron Birt were drawn to the startup community Worcester offers but decided to expand their business to Leominster. “We needed a secondary campus and in Leominster we get this strong manufacturing-bound city that also has a small-town culture and a range of community offerings,” noted Kelly. “By renovating an existing plastics factory warehouse, we were reminded of where manufacturing got its start in central Massachusetts, and we hope to provide it with a flavor of where it is headed in the future.”

As a UL-listed control panel shop, Applewood Controls, Inc., needed a new space to grow, preferably one with a ground-level entrance and loading dock. Applewood President Randy Furmanick found that magic combination in Ayer in 2019. “We needed to stay in the region so our employees could remain close to home, but we also needed to find the right spot for us,” said Furmanick. “After purchasing the building, we did an extensive remodel and added square footage. But in the middle of the remodel, we were hit with the pandemic. It did cause some delays, but Ayer has been a great fit and we are currently in a growth pattern and hiring.”

With 11 employees currently working at Applewood, Furmanick said the decision to invest in North Central Massachusetts was an easy decision since the region is home to a wide range of technology and biotech companies. “This region has a high level of technical manufacturing, and our central location allows employees to reverse their commute, going from the cities into our region for the jobs, rather than the other way around.”

Applewood Controls, Inc. in Ayer

With local cities and towns across the region revitalizing and rejuvenating their centers with restaurants, activities, rail trails, and other community-focused amenities, it is becoming an increasingly tempting proposition for city-dwellers to not just visit the area, but to stay and live here. “These are all of the things people tend to gravitate to locally, so it’s not just about more affordable housing, but about the communities who support that housing,” Furmanick explained. “That mindset and outreach is just as big a factor for people who want to stay and raise a family here.” Kelly at Solvus Global agrees. “In every step of Solvus’ growth journey, the surrounding community as grown right along with us,” he said. “We make it our mission to attract, support, and retain these talented people living in our region.”

Manufacturing firms employed more than 14,200 workers in North Central Massachusetts in 2019. That’s about 15 percent of the region’s total employment. Contrary to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which experienced a two percent decline in manufacturing jobs between 2014 and 2019, manufacturing employment in North Central Massachusetts actually grew by three percent, or

more than 440 jobs during that same period. In the region, chemical manufacturing is the fastest growing subsector, employing nearly 1,700 workers, with plastics and rubber products representing the largest manufacturing subsector with more than 2,400 local jobs.

For Solvus Global, building the right team is incredibly important, and Kelly said the right fit is well worth the company’s time and effort. “There is no better feeling than watching a company you truly believe in grow as Solvus has in the last few years. Every team member we have brought on brings incredible talent, dedication, and drive.”

Autumn Minery, Manager, Human Resources, Solvus Global agrees noting “with the addition of diverse backgrounds, skillsets, and personalities, you can feel the culture at Solvus evolving just as we hoped it would; our people have definitely fueled our company to date and will continue to do so as we look to the future.” The company, which has 15 career opportunities currently posted, found recruiting success by diversifying benefits packages and sourcing applicants from a variety of platforms, including the North Central Massachusetts Chamber’s jobs board.

Burkart Flutes and Piccolos said their recruiting success benefitted from a creative recruiting and retention approach, especially given the intricacies of manufacturing world-class musical instruments. What started as a business of one person has expanded to 22 employees today, with all instruments made of precious metals of solid silver, platinum and gold by an experienced and diverse group of employees (some of whom are musicians themselves) who love to work with their hands. “We have a talented team, and more than half of our staff is female,” said Burkart.

Though based in North Central Massachusetts, the company sells more than 50 percent of its instruments domestically with the rest going to musicians in every corner of the world. They serve a wide range of customers from symphony orchestras and training centers to aspiring musicians and amateurs. “A working musician needs a tool, but an amateur may be playing just for the enjoyment of making music,” she said. “Our instruments are definitely an investment tool for professional musicians, but we can also offer something at an intermediate level to make our products more accessible to less experienced musicians.”

But it’s not just about the customer. Burkart recently took employee engagement to the next level and offered shares of the company to her employees. “With this opportunity, I just welcomed 22 new business owners to the local economy,” she added. “I want to provide not just a job, but a long-term future to keep people and their families thriving in this area.”

One of the more pressing challenges for the region’s manufacturing employers is attracting and retaining younger workers who are interested in the region’s most concentrated areas of employment in health care, advanced manufacturing, and government and public services industries. While these sectors represent strong and stable industries, job opportunities in health care and manufacturing offer a wide array of pay grades that require both highly skilled, intermediate and entry-level workers. At the same time, the region’s industrial sector has experienced an increase in higher-paying, higher-tech firms within chemical manufacturing, electronic product manufacturing, research & development, and computer systems design, among others.

“Manufacturing used to be standing in front of a machine with not a lot of thought process. Today, there is so much more to manufacturing, such as robotics, and we need to start educating parents about the opportunity for future generations to have successful careers in manufacturing so we can reverse the skills gap,” said Furmanick.

Solvus GlobalApplewood decided to work directly with local technical and vocational high schools to combat the skills gap. “We are licensed electricians, and we are seeing a shortage in the number of up-and-coming electricians who can work in both industrial and residential settings,” he said. “If we can get to the youth, we can hopefully excite them about the opportunities available to them for long-term, successful careers.”

Kelly said he is starting to see a shift toward advanced manufacturing, which resulted in the creation of a workforce training program to improve and support the manufacturing industry in the region. “We want to bring the region back to its industrial roots,” added Kelly. “We foresee the nucleus of additive manufacturing forming right here in New England. The truth is manufacturing overall is becoming increasingly important to local economies because it offers a lot of growth potential to the region’s workforce and that will cultivate a surge in job creation and economic turnaround.”

“The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce is putting manufacturing at the forefront of job creation in our region. I believe that by supporting trade schools and showing students that we have great manufacturing jobs with clean work environments as well as opportunities for advancement and training, we can actively recruit youth into manufacturing,” said Burkart. “Our biggest challenge is hiring, and we cannot pretend to compete with the Greater Boston area. We need to create our own pocket of success in the region, and companies here need to appreciate and understand that training and education are a key component to having a successful workforce.”

Solvus Global’s Kelly believes manufacturing, and particularly advanced manufacturing, is unique in that it cuts across a wide swath of academic, industrial and government entities. “Our success depends on our ability to bridge the innovation gap by the identifying critical manufacturing needs and successfully scaling key research concepts into commercially-sustainable solutions,” he said.

Applewood Controls, Inc. in Ayer“As individuals and businesses, we need to look at how supply chain disruptions have impacted our daily lives, especially those long-term supply chain issues which have proved how dependent we are on off-shored products for our day-to-day lives,” added Burkart. “Our boats have been rocked in the last few years and we need to steady our sails with a stronger local supply chain in the years to come.”

Furmanick echoes Burkart and encourages all people to buy local and buy American-made products as much as possible to help rebuild the once thriving American supply chain and resolve the supply issues our country is experiencing. “When you purchase locally, you know where it is made, who made it, and where they are located,” said Furmanick. “There are shortages of everything right now and some of those issues are related to imported products. This will take time to recover, and I suspect we will experience a shift, but I hope it’s a positive shift for future generations.”

As the challenges of the supply chain, inflation and the skills gap put increasing pressure on our manufacturing businesses, it’s clear they are thinking outside of the box and looking to our communities to help them overcome these challenges, to show that this region is an effective crossroad where growth, opportunity and innovation thrive.

North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce leads effort to replace welcome sign at important gateway in Fitchburg

Sign provides recognition of civic pride for residents and visitors alike

The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce today announced it has sponsored the construction of a new welcome sign for the City of Fitchburg on South Street, a key gateway to the community.

The new sign replaces a welcome sign originally constructed by the Sons and Daughters of Italy in 2003 in memory of the late Mary and Joe Ramondelli of Fitchburg but was partially destroyed by a car accident in recent years. Mr. Ramondelli, a retired Fitchburg police officer, and his wife were very active in the community.

Patricia Vacca Martin, a Fitchburg resident who was involved with the design of the original sign, said it is nice to have the sign restored. “Mary and Joe were active members in our community and with the Sons and Daughters of Italy,” said Vacca Martin. “We are grateful the Chamber stepped up to help fund the restoration of the former sign so our community will always remember Mary and Joe and their commitments to making Fitchburg a better place for all of us.”

The new sign is part of a project to construct welcoming signs at key gateways in communities in the region in order to boost civic pride and serve as a positive first impression for visitors. The project was partially funded by a grant secured by the Chamber.

The new sign on South Street mirrors a sign located in West Fitchburg near Route 2, of which the Chamber sponsored a few years ago. The signs were designed and produced by Add-A-Sign in Leominster and represent the region’s traditional New England style. The Fitchburg welcome sign includes a carving of the City of Fitchburg seal and is painted in the proud city color of red with gold lettering. In addition to Fitchburg, similar welcome signs are also being installed at key gateways in Gardner, Leominster and Westminster in the coming months. Each sign is carved with the community’s seal and painted to match their official colors. Additional signs will be constructed for other communities in North Central Massachusetts as funding becomes available.

“One of the goals of our regional economic redevelopment plan, One North Central, was to capitalize on our region’s unique locations,” said Roy Nascimento, President and CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “Each city brings a distinctive experience to the region and with this project, those entering Fitchburg will learn about the city while receiving a warm welcome as they arrive.”

“As Fitchburg continues to implement our Urban Redevelopment Plan, the signs are truly a welcome addition to our city,” said Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale. “We are grateful for the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce for providing these personalized signs to welcome visitors to our city and to also welcome our residents home.”

North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation approves financing for JC Ferreira Construction, Inc.

Funding to support purchase of equipment for family-owned company

The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, recently approved a $112,500 loan to JC Ferreira Construction, Inc., toward the purchase of construction equipment. This loan helped retain four jobs in Leominster.

JC Ferreira Construction was founded by Pablo (Paul) and Luis Ferreira in March 2020 as a family-run business specializing in utility and road construction for underground utilities. The company focuses on sanitary sewer, water, and drainage installations, as well as site, highway and civic construction. In addition to being certified as a Minority Business Enterprise by the Supplier Diversity Office of the Operational Services Division in Massachusetts, the company is also a Disadvantage Business Enterprise certified by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. Their crew has more than 30 years of experience working with cities, towns and government contracts.

“The opportunity to purchase additional equipment through this loan will enable us to expand our dedication to strong loyalty, trust and satisfaction with our customer projects,” said Paul Ferreira. “As a small business just two years young, we are grateful the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation was able to help us move forward with growing our business.”

As a microloan lender, NCMDC can provide loans to small businesses up to $250,000 for working capital, real estate, equipment, inventory, expansion and working with our banking partners to provide gap financing for the final piece of a project.

For more information about the NCMDC loan programs, please call 978.353.7607 or visit NorthCentralMass.com or ChooseNorthCentral.com.

 

Local officials, community leaders celebrate upgrades to the Johnny Appleseed Visitors’ Center

Renovations aimed to modernize the facility and showcase the region to the more than 165,000 visitors annually

Local officials and community leaders joined members of Visit North Central Massachusetts, the official destination marketing organization representing the 27 communities of North Central Massachusetts, yesterday to celebrate recent renovations and upgrades to the Johnny Appleseed Visitors’ Center.

The renovations and upgrades are designed to modernize the facility and showcase the region to the more than 165,000 annual visitors to the center. Exterior upgrades included adding handicapped accessible doors, a dog walking station, a shaded area for picnic tables, new security cameras, new seasonal banners on the lampposts, fresh landscaping and new interpretive displays that help tell the story of North Central Massachusetts. Additionally, the famous “Big Apple of New England” sculpture was repaired. Inside the center, the layout was reconfigured and new floors, rugs, office furniture, signage, a water bottle refilling station, and rustic wall paneling were added. Upgrades to the electronic screens inside the center are currently being completed.

The renovations and upgrades cost $162,455 and were partially funded through a matching Destination Development Grant from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. Matching funds came from a grant from the City of Leominster and from the Johnny Appleseed Trail Association (DBA Visit North Central Massachusetts). Donations of the office furniture were provided by AIS, Inc. in Leominster.

Keiko Orrall, Unveil New and Improved Johnny Appleseed Visitors CenterMore than 100 local dignitaries and community leaders were on hand at yesterday’s event. State Senator John. J. Cronin; State Representative Meghan Kilcoyne; State Representative Natalie Higgins; State Representative Michael P. Kushmerek; Mayor Dean J. Mazzarella, City of Leominster; Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale, City of Fitchburg; Mayor Michael Nicholson, City of Gardner; Keiko Orrall, Executive Director, Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism; Stephen Kerrigan, Chair of the Select Board in the Town of Lancaster; and Henry Tessman, General Manager of Great Wolf Lodge and Chair of the Johnny Appleseed Trail Association/Visit North Central Massachusetts provided remarks. Also in attendance were Worcester Country Sheriff Lew Evangelidis; Register of Deeds for Northern Worcester County Kathleen Reynolds Daigneault; representatives from Mass Highway; and numerous other municipal, community and business leaders.

“Today is a great day for the region as we recognize the many improvements to the Johnny Appleseed Visitors’ Center,” said Tessman, General Manager of Great Wolf Lodge and Chair of Visit North Central Massachusetts. “From the ‘Big Apple of New England’ to the many amenities these improvements now provide to visitors, North Central Massachusetts is now on display for all to see!”

New & Improved Johnny Appleseed Visitor CenterThe Johnny Appleseed Visitors’ Center, considered by many the gateway to North Central Massachusetts, officially opened on June 14, 1997, as a way to welcome people traveling through the region and providing a place to stop, stretch their legs, and learn more about the region’s communities. Named after American pioneer and folk hero, John Chapman (aka Johnny Appleseed) the 2,000 sq.ft. center is operated by the Johnny Appleseed Trail Association which does business under the name Visit North Central Massachusetts. In addition to the popular “Big Apple of New England” sculpture, the center also features a bronze sculpture of the young Johnny Appleseed that greets visitors outside the doors of the Johnny Appleseed Visitors’ Center. There are also 91 apple trees located on the premises, including three Rambo trees that are direct descendants of the last remaining tree known to be planted by Johnny Appleseed. The center also houses a collection of historical and cultural items that showcase the region’s heritage. Unique historical items in the center’s collection include a vintage Iver Johnson bicycle, pieces of equipment from the region’s agricultural past, vintage Wachusett Mountain Ski Area items, and a large collection of Johnny Appleseed memorabilia.

In 2021, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce announced a new regional economic development plan, One North Central, which recommended new ways to expand the existing center, and showcase the history and heritage of the region while adding amenities to modernize the facility.

“Through One North Central, we learned a lot about how to upgrade the center in an effort to provide a unique experience for visitors,” said Roy Nascimento, President and CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and Visit North Central Massachusetts. “The upgrades and renovations to the visitor center will create an experience to link visitors to destinations in the region while providing a modern facility to rest and recharge before continuing on their journey through North Central and beyond.”

The center is open seven days a week, 361 days a year from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It only closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Independence Day and early on Christmas Eve.

Regional Hiring Event Connects Job Seekers with Employers in North Central Massachusetts

The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce is partnering with other regional organizations to host the Work North Central Hiring Event scheduled for Tuesday, September 27, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area, 499 Mountain Road, Princeton, MA. The event is free of charge to attend and open to the public. The regional organizations involved include Fitchburg State University, the MassHire North Central Massachusetts Career Center, the MassHire North Central Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board, and Mount Wachusett Community College.

The event will connect potential applicants with local employers of all sizes and industries to discuss employment and career opportunities available in the region. Employers from diverse industries will be seeking candidates with all levels of skill and backgrounds, including entry level, and professional and technical positions in such industries as construction, distribution, education, financial services, government, healthcare, hospitality, non-profit, manufacturing, restaurants and other industries. Additionally, some employers will be hiring on-site and may provide signing bonuses and other incentives. Job seekers attending the event will also be eligible to enter a drawing for a $500 Gift Local eGift card from the Chamber. The Gift Local eGift Card is redeemable at a variety of local businesses throughout the region, including restaurants, coffee shops, retail shops, inns, farms and attractions.

In addition to networking and learning about available positions across the region, attendees can also take advantage of complimentary professional headshots, free career counseling, individual resume review and sessions on how to improve your interview skills. Mount Wachusett Community College will also be offering informational sessions on free training programs available for individuals interested in pursuing careers in health care and manufacturing. Other special sessions planned during the hiring event includes a panel presentation hosted by the Young Professionals of North Central Massachusetts. This panel of successful young professionals will discuss topics such as finding the balance of work and family, best ways to search for a job, dressing for the right job, talking about benefits, why networking is important and more.

“As a leader in helping North Central Massachusetts compete for talent and advance the region’s economic prosperity, we realize there is a critical need to help our local businesses find qualified and skilled talent in order to grow and succeed,” said Roy M. Nascimento, President & CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “This event is aimed to create economic opportunity, and a strong and diversified workforce for our employers, while providing the unemployed and underemployed the opportunity to meet with a number of employers in one location.”

The Work North Central Hiring Event is a complement to the Chamber’s WorkNorthCentral.com Jobs Board, which serves as an online resource to connect job seekers and local employers while also improving the talent pipeline and better connect employers to local schools.

Adult job seekers, high school graduates, college students in the community, retired individuals interested in returning to the workforce or anyone interested in learning about full and part-time employment opportunities in North Central Massachusetts are invited to attend to connect with participating employers. Pre-registration is not required, walk-ins are welcome.

Free parking for job seekers and attendees is available at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area. Public transportation is also available via the Montachusett Regional Transit Authority (MART) for anyone who may require it. MART will be offering complimentary round-trip shuttle service from the Fitchburg Commuter Rail Station, located at 100 Main Street, between 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., to the Hiring Event with a stop at the Wachusett Commuter Rail Station. Job seekers should look for the shuttle van labeled with the Hiring Event sign. This special shuttle service can be accessed by job seekers from MART’s fixed bus route or at the Fitchburg Commuter Rail Station via MART’s intercity/MWCC bus for those located in Leominster, Gardner, Athol and other communities outside Fitchburg that connect there. Check MART’s website for more information, www.mrta.us.

For more information on the Work North Central Hiring Event, please visit www.northcenralmass.com. Employers interested in participating and reserving a table at the Work North Central Hiring Event should contact Lauren Goulet at 978.353.7600, ext. 222, or Kat Deal at 978.353.7600, ext. 235, to inquire about availability.

Chamber Updates

MASS-TECH PROJECT: The Chamber’s economic development arm – The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation – has received a small grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to help strengthen the environment for start-ups in the region. This project builds off of the work of the One North Central Regional Economic Development Plan, which prioritizes efforts to grow the region from within through small business support programs and initiatives. The Chamber has formed a small advisory committee of members and hired economic development consulting firm RKG Associates to assist with the project. The project scope will entail reviewing the current entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region including inventorying existing practitioners, policies, programs and resources available to start-up and early stage companies, and looking at what gaps exist in the region.

Gift LocalGIFT CARD PROGRAM: The Chamber has revamped the Gift Local Gift Card program to make it easier for members to process the gift cards, and for the public to redeem them. We transitioned over the Summer to a new technology platform called Yiftee that is very user friendly and allows the new gift cards to be issued electronically and processed as a Mastercard. To accept the new e-Gift Cards a participating merchant just needs to accept Mastercard and process it via a key-entry. There will no longer be any need for a separate web terminal for processing, dual entries into the terminal and POS system, or any costly POS integration. Most importantly when consumers use the gift card, dollars stay local and benefit our shops and restaurants and our communities. We are planning an advertising campaign starting in the Fall running through the holidays to promote the new e-Gift Local Gift Cards. Because it is an opt-in program, members interested in being able to accept the gift cards need to contact the Chamber to receive an activation card to participate. Visit Giftlocal.net for more information or contact the Chamber.

CHAMBER FOUNDATION: The Chamber Board approved a contribution of $9,600 to the North Central Massachusetts Chamber Foundation. The contribution represents the proceeds from the Chamber’s Scholars Breakfast in the Spring and will help to strengthen the foundation’s scholarship and education efforts. The Foundation is the Chamber’s charitable affiliate. Thank you to all the members that supported the foundation!

NEW LOANS: The Chamber’s economic development arm – the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation – has closed 25 micro-loans for a total of $1,277,500 since October 1, 2021. The loans were made to a mix of existing and start-up businesses and ranged from $7,500 to $206,000. There are another three loans totaling $300,500 that have been approved but have not yet closed.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: During the last quarter, our team provided over 310 hours of direct technical assistance to small businesses. Our 2-day in-person Quickbooks seminar was a big success, with sold-out attendance. We also connected several of our borrowers and small business clients to professionals for technical assistance, such as bookkeeping, marketing, website design and legal services.

JOBS BOARD: The Chamber continues to offer the WorkNorthCentral.com online jobs board as a resource to connect employers and job seekers in North Central Massachusetts. The jobs board has had over 8,600 jobs posted and more than 80,000 views by job seekers since being launched. As a reminder, the jobs board is free for members to utilize. We encourage members to post any employment opportunities they offer or send them to us and we will post them for you.

Equitable Credentialing IniatiativeEQUITABLE CREDENTIAL ATTAINMENT PROJECT: A North Central Massachusetts team comprised of the Chamber, Mount Wachusett Community College and the Spanish American Center have been meeting monthly as part of the Equitable Credential Attainment initiative offered through the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). North Central Massachusetts was one of seven regions selected in the Spring from throughout the country to participate in this 18-month competitive program. This initiative is focused on growing credential and degree program participation among minority workers with the goal of helping to place these workers in well-paying jobs with career advancement. Our team has already seen some early successes in building partnerships and engaging the Latinx community around micro-credentialing in the health care and manufacturing industries.

WORKFORCE STUDY: In related news, the UMass Donahue has completed the workforce study commissioned by the Chamber to assess and recommend ways to enhance the labor pool in the region. The results will be unveiled at the September edition of the Chamber’s Good Morning North Central Massachusetts breakfast program and shared online. We hope the study will be a useful resource to help develop new strategies and advocate for solutions to the workforce challenges faced by employers.

ENERGY PROGRAM: From its inception in August 2014 through July 2022 the solar field on Pleasant St. has produced 11,473,106 KwH of Net Metering Credits to the manufacturers participating in the program. Total value of these credits is $2,551,981.14 and the collective savings to participants totals $2,169,184.

DIGITAL MARKETING: Traffic to our websites averaged approximately 12,122 unique page views each month in FY2022 which ended in June. In FY22 we also garnered over 2.3 million google impressions. We continue to be very active on social media, populating our Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter platforms with our content. Our social media platforms have a combined 23,139 total followers. In CY2021, our social media platforms garnered an average of 217,000 impressions monthly and a total of nearly 2.4 million impressions for the year.

Visit North Central Massachusetts Update

We wanted to provide an update on the work of our destination marketing arm, Visit North Central Massachusetts (VNCM), to promote the region to visitors and groups over the late Spring and Summer.

The Spring/Summer edition of the Guide to North Central Massachusetts was published in April. The magazine is the primary travel publication promoting the communities of North Central Massachusetts and includes information on our local communities, a calendar of events, stories about the region and much more. The guide was distributed through AAA offices throughout New England and through CTM Media Group to hundreds of locations including hotels, visitor centers, attractions and airports, including Logan and Worcester. The magazine was also posted on our website. The Fall/Winter edition is currently at the printer and expected to hit the stands by early September. Members interested in advertising in the 2023 Spring/Summer edition should contact the Chamber to reserve an ad in this popular publication. We also published our 2022 edition of the Venue Guide to North Central Massachusetts. This publication is a resource for event and meeting planners and helps promote the region as a unique destination for events, conferences, corporate events, and weddings. The Venue Guide is posted on the website and shared via social media and at trade shows.

In addition to these publications, we continued to invest in creating an assorted mix of strong content for our travel website – Visitnorthcentral.com – highlighting seasonal activities and attractions. Stories posted during the Spring/Summer season included “Raise a Glass” which promoted the region as a destination for craft beer lovers; “Hook, Line & Sinker!” which highlighted the region as a fresh water fishing destination; and “The Sweetest Season” which focused on sugar houses located in the region.

Our paid advertising efforts during the Spring/Summer primarily focused on utilizing digital strategies. We ran a sponsored content campaign with MassLive promoting breweries, wineries and cideries in the region to day trippers and overnight visitors. We also ran geofenced digital advertising campaigns with MassLive and LocalIQ on their websites to build brand awareness and promote activities in the region. The LocalIQ digital ads have garnered 306,148 impressions and 155 clicks so far and will run through the end of September. The MassLive campaigns garnered 465,768 impressions and 898 clicks with a .19% CTR through June 30.

While we mainly invested in digital, we also secured some print advertisements to promote the region, including ads in Yankee Magazine; a full panel ad in a tourism map published by CTM Media Group and distributed throughout the state; and an ad in the Dream Destinations Guide targeted towards the Western Massachusetts and Connecticut market. We also ran several ads in Baystate Parent Magazine targeted towards families with young kids centered around the family-friendly experience our region provides.

For FY2022 which ended on June 30, VisitNorthCentral.com saw a 25% increase in traffic with 43,034 visitors and 94,992 pageviews. We also had 1,408,054 google impressions. Our Visit North Central Facebook following grew in FY22 by 5.5% to 12,172 followers. We published 338 Facebook posts during the year, which was down 13% over the previous year. Our posts had a reach of 366,952 people, down about 5% over the previous year, and 23,000 engagements which was up modestly by .3% over the previous year. Our Instagram page saw a 10.8% increase in followers to 1,163. We published 71 posts on Instagram, up 12.7%, which reached 20,726 people. Our engagement rate increased to 7.7%.

Lodging data continues to show signs that the region is experiencing some recovery from the pandemic. Although occupancy still trails pre-pandemic levels slightly, both RevPAR and ADR exceed 2019 levels which indicates that demand is driving up prices. Hotel occupancy for YTD through July was 70.3%, a 25.5% increase over the previous year, ADR was up through the year by 57.5%. RevPar and total room revenue was up 97.6% and rooms sold was up 25.5% for YTD through July.

We have also started to resume some trade show participation. In the Spring, we hosted a booth at the Dream Destinations Travel Show in Springfield and we will be helping to staff the Massachusetts booth at the Big E scheduled for the Fall. Our public relations efforts also resulted in the region being highlighted in a recent edition of Sports Events Magazine, an industry publication for sports events planners.

In other news, our Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center in Lancaster has completed some renovations and upgrades to help improve the experience and better showcase the region to the more than 165,000 visitors that stop there each year. Renovations included adding handicap doors, new security cameras, a dog walking station, a water refilling station, shading for the picnic tables and new signage on the grounds. Inside the center we also added new floors, rustic paneling on the walls, new rugs, new signage for the exhibits and new office furniture. We are also in the process of upgrading the electronic screens inside the center, adding new seasonal banners on the lampposts and having the popular “Big Apple of New England” sculpture repaired. We hope to host a special event in the Fall to showcase the improvements.

We were challenged in the Spring with the loss of our marketing manager as well as increased costs for paid advertising and printing costs for our publications. But in July we welcomed a new marketing manager, and we are currently in the process of updating our marketing plan and implementing promotional efforts for the busy Fall season.