The Open to Business program and economic gardening are two invaluable resources available to help businesses in Anoka County reach their full potential. Companies must be private, for-profit entities that have been headquartered in Anoka County for at least two years to be eligible for the program. The county has partnered with the Edward Lowe Foundation to launch an affordable gardening program designed to help businesses grow. Anoka Technical College (ATC) is committed to providing students and the surrounding community with the highest quality professional and technical education in Minnesota.
The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce has also created an online survey to get feedback from businesses on how they are responding to COVID-19 and provide better resources for all Minnesota businesses. John LeTourneau, director of manufacturing for the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce, recruited companies for the affordable gardening program. Business leaders will attend monthly peer groups and quarterly educational forums and will work with a team of business consultants for 50 hours of personalized research and consulting in areas such as leadership, market research, social media, operations, geographic information systems, and quality control. Jeff Harris was referred to Anoka Tech by the Anoka County Job Training Center and the Empowers Young Adult Program. After being accepted into the Empowers Young Adult program, a labor counselor helped Jeff enroll at ATC for his Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Information Technology, with an emphasis in Software Development.
As collaborating partners, the university and the county, along with other local organizations and businesses, participate in a workforce development board to proactively address workforce needs. Anoka County's list of chosen companies includes a law firm, a manufacturer, a product design firm, and a retailer. For a select group of companies at that crossroads, Anoka County offers 50 hours of free consulting and other services. After completing the program at ATC, Harris secured a permanent, full-time position in Ramsey County. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce has provided a set of resources and information for businesses in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The Association is also the main point of contact for businesses seeking to locate themselves in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The Open to Business program and economic gardening are two great tools that can help Anoka County businesses succeed.
With access to personalized advice from business advisors, 50 hours of free consulting services, and resources from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, businesses have all they need to thrive. Anoka Technical College provides students with professional and technical education while also helping local businesses address their workforce needs. With these resources available, Anoka County businesses have all they need to reach their goals.
