In Alabama, the First-Time Homebuyer and Second-Chance Savings Account (FHSA), is now available for anyone who has never owned a home or for those folks who are re-entering the housing market and haven’t owned a home for at least a decade.

Individuals or couples can open one of these tax-free savings accounts at any local bank, credit union or other financial institution in Alabama. The principal deposits and earnings will be deductible on their state income taxes.

The savings in this account can be used to pay for a down payment and/or closing costs for a single-family dwelling.

ABOUT THE ACCOUNTS

“First-time buyers can now begin the process of buying a home years in advance, simply by starting a savings account, and get a tax break by doing so,” said Morgan Ashurst, 2019 Alabama REALTORS® Public Policy Chair. “We are proud to have played a role in helping provide first-time buyers with this new resource.”

The option to use this account was created in 2018 when the Alabama legislature passed a bill and Gov. Kay Ivey signed it into law. It allows individuals or couples to make deposits and earnings up to $50,000, with a mandate that qualified expenditures must be made within five years from opening the account.

“One of the most commonly asked questions from first-time buyers is, ‘Where do I start?’ This savings account is the new starting point,” said Stacey Sanders, 2019 Alabama REALTORS® President. “We are excited to see the growth this new homebuying tool spurs in Alabama’s housing market.”

A POSITIVE IMPACT

And while this benefit is great for the first-time homebuyer and those who may have had to hit the reset button for a time and are ready to own a home again now, it’s a benefit to all Alabama residents.

Even though other Alabamaians can’t take advantage of the FHSA, they benefit because home ownership helps improve neighborhoods, which in turn attracts businesses, which creates jobs and improves our local economy.

Homeownership provides wealth accumulation for owners, in addition to social and economic benefits.

Overall, 90% of Alabama residents believe homeownership is a good financial decision.

So, there’s a stake in homeownership for everybody in Alabama, where, according to the song, the skies are so blue. And those skies will be bluer and brighter with more homeowners, which is why those that qualify should take advantage of the FHSA now that it is available.

BY Anthony Sanfilippo

The Bush family spent nearly three decades building a successful small business in rural Elmore County. Twenty-six years ago, Darrel Bush’s parents purchased a Huddle House franchise and began the grueling task of opening a new restaurant. The restaurant grew into a success and, as they became ready, the next generation of the Bush family joined the business. Two generations of a single family were living the American Dream until the Huddle House corporation decided they wanted the profits that the Bush’s were making for themselves – cut out the small business owners that built the Huddle House name in Wetumpka.

Once the corporation had their eyes set on the Bush’s business, they used corporate bullying to drive the Bush’s out of business so that the corporation could build a company-owned Huddle House just a mile down the road. Alabama law had no protections for the Bush family and they lost the dream they had devoted their lives to achieving.

Unfortunately, the Bush family is not alone. Time after time, Alabama’s small business owners find themselves at the mercy of large out of state corporations due to our state’s weak franchisee protection laws.

Under current statute, the out of state franchisors hold all of the cards while Alabama small business owners are largely powerless to defend themselves. It is not uncommon for these franchisors to come back year after year and demand changes to franchise contracts. If the franchisees balk at agreeing to the changes, their businesses are threatened. They are often forced to purchase products at far above the fair market value, forced to make investments of their profits into systems and programs that benefit the corporation, not their small business. If a location gets too successful, they are at risk of being shut down so that a corporate owned store can open up down the street and usurp the profits for the corporation. Often, franchise owners are told that they can’t leave their businesses to their children.

Many Alabama franchisees lives in a constant state of fear.

Representative Connie Rowe (R-Walker County) is hoping to give Alabama’s small business men and women a fair playing field in the State of Alabama with HB352, the Alabama Small Business Act. The legislation, which will be heard in committee in the Alabama House of Representatives this week, will protect the rights of the state’s business owners and the 125,000 jobs they provide.

The bill gives franchisees the rights to have disputes heard in Alabama’s court system, rather than being forced to go to court in the franchisor’s home state. It would also require that franchisor corporations negotiate in good faith in their dealings with Alabama’s franchise owners.

This legislation is about more than protecting the rights of business owners. This legislation is about protecting the American Dream and that is something we should all be able to support.

Lockett took to Facebook on the day of the show’s launch to thank Steve Harvey for his encouragement and inspiration.

He wrote, “I stood by Steve Harvey’s picture six years ago and said never be afraid to dream BIG. Who knew what God had in store for me and my company? I’m asking all my listeners, friends, viewers and social media followers to help me get this message to Steve Harvey or someone on his team. Why? Because I wanted to shake his hand and give him a hug and say thank you.”

The team heard about Lockett’s message and congratulated him live on “The Steve Harvey Morning Show.”

“Way to go, Joe Lockett, congratulations,” Harvey said.

Harvey followed his commendation with advice for anyone wishing to follow in Lockett’s footsteps and pursue their passion. His message? Do something you love.

“Run the race that you love to run. Wake up and chase something you love to chase. Go to bed realizing that when I wake up in the morning God willing, man I’m going to get another opportunity to get another day closer,” Harvey said.

In hopes his story will inspire others, Lockett is taking the second hour of his show, “Six 2 Six’ to help his audience take action and find their calling.

In challenging his listeners to dream, Lockett says, “I want you to think of the biggest thing that you have ever wanted to do in your life.”

Check out “The Joe Lockett Show” on WJXC 101.1, Monday to Friday from 3 – 5 p.m. Not near a radio? Listen live online at the station’s website.

Lockett took to Facebook on the day of the show’s launch to thank Steve Harvey for his encouragement and inspiration.

He wrote, “I stood by Steve Harvey’s picture six years ago and said never be afraid to dream BIG. Who knew what God had in store for me and my company? I’m asking all my listeners, friends, viewers and social media followers to help me get this message to Steve Harvey or someone on his team. Why? Because I wanted to shake his hand and give him a hug and say thank you.”

The team heard about Lockett’s message and congratulated him live on “The Steve Harvey Morning Show.”

“Way to go, Joe Lockett, congratulations,” Harvey said.

Harvey followed his commendation with advice for anyone wishing to follow in Lockett’s footsteps and pursue their passion. His message? Do something you love.

“Run the race that you love to run. Wake up and chase something you love to chase. Go to bed realizing that when I wake up in the morning God willing, man I’m going to get another opportunity to get another day closer,” Harvey said.

In hopes his story will inspire others, Lockett is taking the second hour of his show, “Six 2 Six” to help his audience take action and find their calling.

In challenging his listeners to dream, Lockett says, “I want you to think of the biggest thing that you have ever wanted to do in your life.”

Check out “The Joe Lockett Show” on WJXC 101.1, Monday to Friday from 3 – 5 p.m. Not near a radio? Listen live online at the station’s website.

I want to wish everyone a Happy Easter, and hope you all have a chance to rest and spend time with your family and friends while we celebrate that our Lord has risen again! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

May God continue to bless you and your families in the coming seasons of life, and may we live in peace knowing God is in control.

Paid for by Chris Pringle Campaign 4 Princess Anne Rd. Mobile, AL 36608

The show is divided into two one-hour segments, with the first discussing the day’s news headlines. During the second hour “Six 2 Six,” Lockett will interview local celebrities and others who have gone beyond their day jobs to pursue their ultimate career goals.

Lockett says he named this portion of the show “Six 2 Six” after his personal journey from working in construction to now hosting his own radio show six years later.

Passionate about helping people get “unstuck” to achieve their dreams, Lockett hopes the show will inspire others to find their calling.

“I want you to think of the biggest thing that you have ever wanted to do in your life,” Lockett said.

He added, “If you could do anything right now, what would it be?”

Listen to the Joe Lockett program live during the week on the show’s Facebook page or on the station’s website.

In Alabama, the First-Time Homebuyer and Second-Chance Savings Account (FHSA), is now available for anyone who has never owned a home or for those folks who are re-entering the housing market and haven’t owned a home for at least a decade.

Individuals or couples can open one of these tax-free savings accounts at any local bank, credit union or other financial institution in Alabama. The principal deposits and earnings will be deductible on their state income taxes.

The savings in this account can be used to pay for a down payment and/or closing costs for a single-family dwelling.

ABOUT THE ACCOUNTS

“First-time buyers can now begin the process of buying a home years in advance, simply by starting a savings account, and get a tax break by doing so,” said Morgan Ashurst, 2019 Alabama REALTORS® Public Policy Chair. “We are proud to have played a role in helping provide first-time buyers with this new resource.”

The option to use this account was created in 2018 when the Alabama legislature passed a bill and Gov. Kay Ivey signed it into law. It allows individuals or couples to make deposits and earnings up to $50,000, with a mandate that qualified expenditures must be made within five years from opening the account.

“One of the most commonly asked questions from first-time buyers is, ‘Where do I start?’ This savings account is the new starting point,” said Stacey Sanders, 2019 Alabama REALTORS® President. “We are excited to see the growth this new homebuying tool spurs in Alabama’s housing market.”

A POSITIVE IMPACT

And while this benefit is great for the first-time homebuyer and those who may have had to hit the reset button for a time and are ready to own a home again now, it’s a benefit to all Alabama residents.

Even though other Alabamaians can’t take advantage of the FHSA, they benefit because home ownership helps improve neighborhoods, which in turn attracts businesses, which creates jobs and improves our local economy.

Homeownership provides wealth accumulation for owners, in addition to social and economic benefits.

Overall, 90% of Alabama residents believe homeownership is a good financial decision.

So, there’s a stake in homeownership for everybody in Alabama, where, according to the song, the skies are so blue. And those skies will be bluer and brighter with more homeowners, which is why those that qualify should take advantage of the FHSA now that it is available.

BY Anthony Sanfilippo

The show is divided into two one-hour segments, with the first discussing the day’s news headlines. During the second hour, “Six 2 Six,” Lockett will interview local celebrities and others who have gone beyond their day jobs to pursue their ultimate career goals.

Lockett says he named this portion of the show “Six 2 Six” after his personal journey from working in construction to now hosting his own radio show six years later.

Passionate about helping people get “unstuck” to achieve their dreams, Lockett hopes the show will inspire others to find their calling.

“I want you to think of the biggest thing that you have ever wanted to do in your life,” Lockett said.

He added, “If you could do anything right now, what would it be?”

Listen to the Joe Lockett program live during the week on the show’s Facebook page or on the station’s website.

This is great for us as a whole, but it can be challenging for businesses like ours. The competition for employees is fierce. We needed an avenue to help us get an edge in the recruiting world. This is when we discovered the Alabama Workforce Council.

The AWC is a group composed primarily of business representatives that seeks to close the gaps between open jobs, training and qualified employees. It includes the Alabama Community College System, the Alabama Department of Commerce (including AIDT), the Alabama Department of Education and the Alabama Technology Network. The AWC does this primarily through AlabamaWorks.

AlabamaWorks is comprised of seven workforce regions around the state. Each region hosts quarterly meetings in its geographic area to bring all groups together (like the AWC), but they also have several business/industry clusters to further assist those sectors with particular challenges.

We have found many benefits by being involved in our regional division, Central AlabamaWorks. As active participants in the advanced manufacturing cluster, we are able to share our needs and network with our peers to discuss which processes are working and which ones need improvement.

Central AlabamaWorks is not only providing resources for today, but they are also working towards strengthening the future of our workforce pipeline by hosting two Career Discovery Expos in our region. It has been our pleasure to volunteer to support the mission of Central AlabamaWorks through the Career Discovery Spring Expo, April 4-5 at Trenholm State Community College.”

In addition to talking with our peers, we get the opportunity to learn about financial reimbursement programs, such as on-the-job-training, and the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act, which provides federal dollars directly to the trainee. Outstanding resources are also available through Apprenticeship Alabama.

AlabamaWorks even has a website, www.alabamaworks.com, which provides a venue for us to post jobs/paid apprenticeships, search resumes and list our free training programs. Best of all, it is free for both the employer and those who are seeking training and/or employment.

What’s great about AlabamaWorks is that it continues to evolve to meet our state’s needs to be competitive now and in the future. With the roaring economy and record number of people employed, Governor Ivey saw a need to determine exactly how many certified/degreed individuals our businesses would need for their workforce of today and tomorrow. She formed a special subcommittee of the AWC to study this and make recommendations to determine this number and to formulate a pathway to make it a reality.

Through data collection, research and focus groups, the special committee determined that the state would need an extra 500,000 highly-skilled individuals added to our workforce by 2025. This initiative, entitled AlabamaWorks Success Plus, was published and presented to Governor Ivey earlier this year.

Like everyone else, we have busy schedules. But, we make time to attend and actively participate in AlabamaWorks’ quarterly summits and cluster meetings. We believe it is worth our investment and think you will, too. Visit the website to learn how your company can benefit from AlabamaWorks’ programs, opportunities, networking and resources.

Written by: Tony E. Wojciechowski, chief human resources officer and Robin Ricks, recruitment, workforce development and public relations specialist Hyundai Power Transformers USA

The festival which takes place in Gulf Shores supports nearly 600 jobs and attracts more than 44,000 fans from all over the world.

Hangout Fest serves as the perfect window through which others can see all the amenities of Alabama’s beautiful Gulf Coast. Media coverage has created 14 million viewers across the globe and 29 million social media impressions. In fact, 80 percent of all visitors come from outside the state, providing an extra boost to Alabama’s economy.

Nowhere is the Hangout Festival’s impact felt more than right here at home.

Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, spoke about the importance of Hangout Fest to the state’s economy.

“While the Hangout Music Fest has long been a premier, star-studded entertainment event that brings energy to Alabama’s Gulf Coast every summer, it has also become a powerful economic engine in its own right,” Canfield said. “Fans come from from all over the world, and the ripple effects from their spending represent a significant contribution to the local economy.”

The cumulative total of the festival’s economic impact since 2010 is now $290 million.

With that kind of revenue associated with the event, it is no wonder that Hangout Fest attracts a high-end clientele seeking to take advantage of premium amenities. Luxury suites, a private reception and personalized concierge services are only some of Hangout Fest’s select offerings.

For more information on Hangout Music Fest visit HangoutMusicFest.com.

The festival which takes place in Gulf Shores supports nearly 600 jobs and attracts more than 44,000 fans from all over the world.

Hangout Fest serves as the perfect window through which others can see all the amenities of Alabama’s beautiful Gulf Coast. Media coverage has created 14 million viewers across the globe and 29 million social media impressions. In fact, 80 percent of all visitors come from outside the state, providing an extra boost to Alabama’s economy.

Nowhere is the Hangout Festival’s impact felt more than right here at home.

Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, spoke about the importance of Hangout Fest to the state’s economy.

“While the Hangout Music Fest has long been a premier, star-studded entertainment event that brings energy to Alabama’s Gulf Coast every summer, it has also become a powerful economic engine in its own right,” Canfield said. “Fans come from from all over the world, and the ripple effects from their spending represent a significant contribution to the local economy.”

The cumulative total of the festival’s economic impact since 2010 is now $290 million.

With that kind of revenue associated with the event, it is no wonder that Hangout Fest attracts a high-end clientele seeking to take advantage of premium amenities. Luxury suites, a private reception and personalized concierge services are only some of Hangout Fest’s select offerings.

For more information on Hangout Music Fest visit HangoutMusicFest.com.

This is great for us as a whole, but it can be challenging for businesses like ours. The competition for employees is fierce. We needed an avenue to help us get an edge in the recruiting world. This is when we discovered the Alabama Workforce Council.

The AWC is a group composed primarily of business representatives that seeks to close the gaps between open jobs, training and qualified employees. It includes the Alabama Community College System, the Alabama Department of Commerce (including AIDT), the Alabama Department of Education and the Alabama Technology Network. The AWC does this primarily through AlabamaWorks.

AlabamaWorks is comprised of seven workforce regions around the state. Each region hosts quarterly meetings in its geographic area to bring all groups together (like the AWC), but they also have several business/industry clusters to further assist those sectors with particular challenges.

We have found many benefits by being involved in our regional division, Central AlabamaWorks. As active participants in the advanced manufacturing cluster, we are able to share our needs and network with our peers to discuss which processes are working and which ones need improvement.

Central AlabamaWorks is not only providing resources for today, but they are also working towards strengthening the future of our workforce pipeline by hosting two Career Discovery Expos in our region. It has been our pleasure to volunteer to support the mission of Central AlabamaWorks through the Career Discovery Spring Expo, April 4-5 at Trenholm State Community College.”

In addition to talking with our peers, we get the opportunity to learn about financial reimbursement programs, such as on-the-job-training, and the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act, which provides federal dollars directly to the trainee. Outstanding resources are also available through Apprenticeship Alabama.

AlabamaWorks even has a website, www.alabamaworks.com, which provides a venue for us to post jobs/paid apprenticeships, search resumes and list our free training programs. Best of all, it is free for both the employer and those who are seeking training and/or employment.

What’s great about AlabamaWorks is that it continues to evolve to meet our state’s needs to be competitive now and in the future. With the roaring economy and record number of people employed, Governor Ivey saw a need to determine exactly how many certified/degreed individuals our businesses would need for their workforce of today and tomorrow. She formed a special subcommittee of the AWC to study this and make recommendations to determine this number and to formulate a pathway to make it a reality.

Through data collection, research and focus groups, the special committee determined that the state would need an extra 500,000 highly-skilled individuals added to our workforce by 2025. This initiative, entitled AlabamaWorks Success Plus, was published and presented to Governor Ivey earlier this year.

Like everyone else, we have busy schedules. But, we make time to attend and actively participate in AlabamaWorks’ quarterly summits and cluster meetings. We believe it is worth our investment and think you will, too. Visit the website to learn how your company can benefit from AlabamaWorks’ programs, opportunities, networking and resources.

Written by: Tony E. Wojciechowski, chief human resources officer and Robin Ricks, recruitment, workforce development and public relations specialist Hyundai Power Transformers USA

The festival which takes place in Gulf Shores supports nearly 600 jobs and attracts more than 44,000 fans from all over the world.

Hangout Fest serves as the perfect window through which others can see all the amenities of Alabama’s beautiful Gulf Coast. Media coverage has created 14 million viewers across the globe and 29 million social media impressions. In fact, 80 percent of all visitors come from outside the state, providing an extra boost to Alabama’s economy.

Nowhere is the Hangout Festival’s impact felt more than right here at home.

Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, spoke about the importance of Hangout Fest to the state’s economy.

“While the Hangout Music Fest has long been a premier, star-studded entertainment event that brings energy to Alabama’s Gulf Coast every summer, it has also become a powerful economic engine in its own right,” Canfield said. “Fans come from from all over the world, and the ripple effects from their spending represent a significant contribution to the local economy.”

The cumulative total of the festival’s economic impact since 2010 is now $290 million.

With that kind of revenue associated with the event, it is no wonder that Hangout Fest attracts a high-end clientele seeking to take advantage of premium amenities. Luxury suites, a private reception and personalized concierge services are only some of Hangout Fest’s select offerings.

For more information on Hangout Music Fest visit HangoutMusicFest.com.

This is great for us as a whole, but it can be challenging for businesses like ours. The competition for employees is fierce. We needed an avenue to help us get an edge in the recruiting world. This is when we discovered the Alabama Workforce Council.

The AWC is a group composed primarily of business representatives that seeks to close the gaps between open jobs, training and qualified employees. It includes the Alabama Community College System, the Alabama Department of Commerce (including AIDT), the Alabama Department of Education and the Alabama Technology Network. The AWC does this primarily through AlabamaWorks.

AlabamaWorks is comprised of seven workforce regions around the state. Each region hosts quarterly meetings in its geographic area to bring all groups together (like the AWC), but they also have several business/industry clusters to further assist those sectors with particular challenges.

We have found many benefits by being involved in our regional division, Central AlabamaWorks. As active participants in the advanced manufacturing cluster, we are able to share our needs and network with our peers to discuss which processes are working and which ones need improvement.

Central AlabamaWorks is not only providing resources for today, but they are also working towards strengthening the future of our workforce pipeline by hosting two Career Discovery Expos in our region. It has been our pleasure to volunteer to support the mission of Central AlabamaWorks through the Career Discovery Spring Expo, April 4-5 at Trenholm State Community College.”

In addition to talking with our peers, we get the opportunity to learn about financial reimbursement programs, such as on-the-job-training, and the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act, which provides federal dollars directly to the trainee. Outstanding resources are also available through Apprenticeship Alabama.

AlabamaWorks even has a website, www.alabamaworks.com, which provides a venue for us to post jobs/paid apprenticeships, search resumes and list our free training programs. Best of all, it is free for both the employer and those who are seeking training and/or employment.

What’s great about AlabamaWorks is that it continues to evolve to meet our state’s needs to be competitive now and in the future. With the roaring economy and record number of people employed, Governor Ivey saw a need to determine exactly how many certified/degreed individuals our businesses would need for their workforce of today and tomorrow. She formed a special subcommittee of the AWC to study this and make recommendations to determine this number and to formulate a pathway to make it a reality.

Through data collection, research and focus groups, the special committee determined that the state would need an extra 500,000 highly-skilled individuals added to our workforce by 2025. This initiative, entitled AlabamaWorks Success Plus, was published and presented to Governor Ivey earlier this year.

Like everyone else, we have busy schedules. But, we make time to attend and actively participate in AlabamaWorks’ quarterly summits and cluster meetings. We believe it is worth our investment and think you will, too. Visit the website to learn how your company can benefit from AlabamaWorks’ programs, opportunities, networking and resources.

Written by: Tony E. Wojciechowski, chief human resources officer and Robin Ricks, recruitment, workforce development and public relations specialist Hyundai Power Transformers USA

The festival which takes place in Gulf Shores supports nearly 600 jobs and attracts more than 44,000 fans from all over the world.

Hangout Fest serves as the perfect window through which others can see all the amenities of Alabama’s beautiful Gulf Coast. Media coverage has created 14 million viewers across the globe and 29 million social media impressions. In fact, 80 percent of all visitors come from outside the state, providing an extra boost to Alabama’s economy.

Nowhere is the Hangout Festival’s impact felt more than right here at home.

Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, spoke about the importance of Hangout Fest to the state’s economy.

“While the Hangout Music Fest has long been a premier, star-studded entertainment event that brings energy to Alabama’s Gulf Coast every summer, it has also become a powerful economic engine in its own right,” Canfield said. “Fans come from from all over the world, and the ripple effects from their spending represent a significant contribution to the local economy.”

The cumulative total of the festival’s economic impact since 2010 is now $290 million.

With that kind of revenue associated with the event, it is no wonder that Hangout Fest attracts a high-end clientele seeking to take advantage of premium amenities. Luxury suites, a private reception and personalized concierge services are only some of Hangout Fest’s select offerings.

For more information on Hangout Music Fest visit HangoutMusicFest.com.

This is great for us as a whole, but it can be challenging for businesses like ours. The competition for employees is fierce. We needed an avenue to help us get an edge in the recruiting world. This is when we discovered the Alabama Workforce Council.

The AWC is a group composed primarily of business representatives that seeks to close the gaps between open jobs, training and qualified employees. It includes the Alabama Community College System, the Alabama Department of Commerce (including AIDT), the Alabama Department of Education and the Alabama Technology Network. The AWC does this primarily through AlabamaWorks.

AlabamaWorks is comprised of seven workforce regions around the state. Each region hosts quarterly meetings in its geographic area to bring all groups together (like the AWC), but they also have several business/industry clusters to further assist those sectors with particular challenges.

We have found many benefits by being involved in our regional division, Central AlabamaWorks. As active participants in the advanced manufacturing cluster, we are able to share our needs and network with our peers to discuss which processes are working and which ones need improvement.

Central AlabamaWorks is not only providing resources for today, but they are also working towards strengthening the future of our workforce pipeline by hosting two Career Discovery Expos in our region. It has been our pleasure to volunteer to support the mission of Central AlabamaWorks through the Career Discovery Spring Expo, April 4-5 at Trenholm State Community College.”

In addition to talking with our peers, we get the opportunity to learn about financial reimbursement programs, such as on-the-job-training, and the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act, which provides federal dollars directly to the trainee. Outstanding resources are also available through Apprenticeship Alabama.

AlabamaWorks even has a website, www.alabamaworks.com, which provides a venue for us to post jobs/paid apprenticeships, search resumes and list our free training programs. Best of all, it is free for both the employer and those who are seeking training and/or employment.

What’s great about AlabamaWorks is that it continues to evolve to meet our state’s needs to be competitive now and in the future. With the roaring economy and record number of people employed, Governor Ivey saw a need to determine exactly how many certified/degreed individuals our businesses would need for their workforce of today and tomorrow. She formed a special subcommittee of the AWC to study this and make recommendations to determine this number and to formulate a pathway to make it a reality.

Through data collection, research and focus groups, the special committee determined that the state would need an extra 500,000 highly-skilled individuals added to our workforce by 2025. This initiative, entitled AlabamaWorks Success Plus, was published and presented to Governor Ivey earlier this year.

Like everyone else, we have busy schedules. But, we make time to attend and actively participate in AlabamaWorks’ quarterly summits and cluster meetings. We believe it is worth our investment and think you will, too. Visit the website to learn how your company can benefit from AlabamaWorks’ programs, opportunities, networking and resources.

Written by: Tony E. Wojciechowski, chief human resources officer and Robin Ricks, recruitment, workforce development and public relations specialist Hyundai Power Transformers USA

This is great for us as a whole, but it can be challenging for businesses like ours. The competition for employees is fierce. We needed an avenue to help us get an edge in the recruiting world. This is when we discovered the Alabama Workforce Council.

The AWC is a group composed primarily of business representatives that seeks to close the gaps between open jobs, training and qualified employees. It includes the Alabama Community College System, the Alabama Department of Commerce (including AIDT), the Alabama Department of Education and the Alabama Technology Network. The AWC does this primarily through AlabamaWorks.

AlabamaWorks is comprised of seven workforce regions around the state. Each region hosts quarterly meetings in its geographic area to bring all groups together (like the AWC), but they also have several business/industry clusters to further assist those sectors with particular challenges.

We have found many benefits by being involved in our regional division, Central AlabamaWorks. As active participants in the advanced manufacturing cluster, we are able to share our needs and network with our peers to discuss which processes are working and which ones need improvement.

Central AlabamaWorks is not only providing resources for today, but they are also working towards strengthening the future of our workforce pipeline by hosting two Career Discovery Expos in our region. It has been our pleasure to volunteer to support the mission of Central AlabamaWorks through the Career Discovery Spring Expo, April 4-5 at Trenholm State Community College.”

In addition to talking with our peers, we get the opportunity to learn about financial reimbursement programs, such as on-the-job-training, and the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act, which provides federal dollars directly to the trainee. Outstanding resources are also available through Apprenticeship Alabama.

AlabamaWorks even has a website, www.alabamaworks.com, which provides a venue for us to post jobs/paid apprenticeships, search resumes and list our free training programs. Best of all, it is free for both the employer and those who are seeking training and/or employment.

What’s great about AlabamaWorks is that it continues to evolve to meet our state’s needs to be competitive now and in the future. With the roaring economy and record number of people employed, Governor Ivey saw a need to determine exactly how many certified/degreed individuals our businesses would need for their workforce of today and tomorrow. She formed a special subcommittee of the AWC to study this and make recommendations to determine this number and to formulate a pathway to make it a reality.

Through data collection, research and focus groups, the special committee determined that the state would need an extra 500,000 highly-skilled individuals added to our workforce by 2025. This initiative, entitled AlabamaWorks Success Plus, was published and presented to Governor Ivey earlier this year.

Like everyone else, we have busy schedules. But, we make time to attend and actively participate in AlabamaWorks’ quarterly summits and cluster meetings. We believe it is worth our investment and think you will, too. Visit the website to learn how your company can benefit from AlabamaWorks’ programs, opportunities, networking and resources.

Written by: Tony E. Wojciechowski, chief human resources officer and Robin Ricks, recruitment, workforce development and public relations specialist Hyundai Power Transformers USA

The festival which takes place in Gulf Shores supports nearly 600 jobs and attracts more than 44,000 fans from all over the world.

Hangout Fest serves as the perfect window through which others can see all the amenities of Alabama’s beautiful Gulf Coast. Media coverage has created 14 million viewers across the globe and 29 million social media impressions. In fact, 80 percent of all visitors come from outside the state, providing an extra boost to Alabama’s economy.

Nowhere is the Hangout Festival’s impact felt more than right here at home.

Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, spoke about the importance of Hangout Fest to the state’s economy.

“While the Hangout Music Fest has long been a premier, star-studded entertainment event that brings energy to Alabama’s Gulf Coast every summer, it has also become a powerful economic engine in its own right,” Canfield said. “Fans come from from all over the world, and the ripple effects from their spending represent a significant contribution to the local economy.”

The cumulative total of the festival’s economic impact since 2010 is now $290 million.

With that kind of revenue associated with the event, it is no wonder that Hangout Fest attracts a high-end clientele seeking to take advantage of premium amenities. Luxury suites, a private reception and personalized concierge services are only some of Hangout Fest’s select offerings.

For more information on Hangout Music Fest visit HangoutMusicFest.com.