North Central holds meeting Tuesday to discuss access to capital projects
RIDGWAY - On Tuesday, North Central Partnership for Regional Economic Performance (NC PREP) board members and stakeholders gathered at the North Central boardroom located on Ridgmont Drive in Ridgway to discuss current regional access to capital project financing.
It was the first opportunity for many to meet Ellen Harpel of BDA Business and Development Advisors and Erik Pages of Entireworks Consulting, who were hired in January following an initial Request For Proposal (RFP) undertaken by NC PREP last year to help navigate the changing financial landscape postCOVID-19.
Harpel and Pages led a discussion for almost two hours, getting to know members of NC PREP and sharing ideas and regional organizations that can provide financial aid, and real-life experience, to new and existing job creators.
After the initial discussion, NC PREP gave the floor to the newlycreated organization Work-Tech (work-tech. org). Work-Tech uses an employee-driven collaboration strategy to advance digital transformation in small and medium-sized companies. Many companies need more candidates for open positions and concentrate on filling jobs rather than current employees' workloads. Work-Tech provides companies with solutions to balance these stresses by utilizing digital plans and resources that are most likely already available: technology and people.
Companies can quickly begin their digital assessment by logging on to Work-Tech (worktech.org) and completing a brief company survey. Work-Tech then conducts a high-level company interview and creates a baseline assessment to determine company priorities. A collaborative meeting is held to gather input from workers for implementation strategies. Finally, plans are implemented with the company, Work-Tech team members, and employees working together towards common goals.
A proper digital roadmap is an overview that lays out what a business wants to achieve and how digital initiatives can help them get there. It incorporates short- and long-term achievable goals with realistic action plans. This is especially essential in the changing workspace landscape following the COVID-19 pandemic, where new opportunities, such as remote work, have become part of everyday life.
Work-Tech does not provide financial assistance to companies, only their experience and an extensive network of partners and companies that have benefited from their services.
New and existing job creators interested in learning more about the NC PREP or any other services North Central provides, including low-interest loans, are asked to call North Central at (814) 773-3162 , or email at ncprpdc@ncentral.com for more information.