Business Conferences Seek to Help Businesses Stay and Grow in CT

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As Connecticut’s overall policy attitude toward business growth and development continues to be the center of attention as legislators contemplate revisions to the recently passed state budget, a renewed effort to help businesses get underway this week. Employers interested in learning more about hiring incentives, tax credits, job creation programs, creating a business plan, opportunities for women and minority owned business, obtaining low interest financing and other opportunities are being asked to attend one of a series of workshops being offered this month and in September, at locations around the state.step up

The state Department of Labor and other agencies  are offering free Regional Step Up Conferences.  Online registration is now open for the three events in June. While there is no admission to the conferences, interested businesses are asked to complete the pre-registration form on the website.  The conferences are designed for local businesspeople to see how state and federal resources can help achieve business success.

The first conference will be on Tuesday, June 23 at Naugatuck Valley Community College (Fine Arts Center Lever Atrium-Main Stage Theatre), 750 Chase Parkway, Waterbury, 8:00 – 10:30 AM (light refreshments begin at 7 AM).  Tuesday’s conference will also offer tours of the college’s Advanced Manufacturing Center.

In addition to the Waterbury conference, this week will see Step-Up conferences in Stamford on June 24 and Shelton on June 30.  The conferences resume in the fall, with scheduled sessions in Middletown on September 9, New Haven on September 15, New Milford on September 17, Hampton on September 22 and Bridgeport on September 24, according to the state Department of Labor website.

The events are also sponsored by Governor Dannel P. Malloy and Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, the Connecticut Department of Labor, the Department of Economic & Community Development and a range of community partners, including Chambers of Commerce, local community colleges, business and manufacturing associations, workforce and community organizations, local legislators and organizations work with the African-American and Latino communities.

This free event will provide valuable information on how companies can take part in the state’s Subsidized Training and Employment (Step Up) programs, Small Business Express, tax incentives, tax credits and more.  Among the topics highlighted are:wby

  • Wage reimbursement & training incentives (Subsidized Training and Employment Program Step Up) and Veterans Step Up that reimburse your company up to $12,500 for new hires
  • Low Interest financing under the Small Business Express Program
  • How to find and recruit new and qualified employees, including veterans
  • Tax incentives for equipment upgrades and job creation
  • How to become a State of Connecticut vendor
  • Free business plan, marketing analysis
  • Incumbent Worker Training programs to develop your workforce
  • How apprenticeship programs can assist the trades and manufacturing sectors