Berkshire Workforce Board Honors Area Businesses, Elects Officers

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board (BWB) held its annual meeting on June 9, 2022 virtually via zoom. 
 
As a state certified High Performing Workforce Board, the BWB highlighted accomplishments during the meeting including career readiness programming; training in manufacturing, healthcare & hospitality; employer assistance, rapid reengagement activities, and more collaborative efforts in meeting the demand for more highly skilled workers.   
 
During FY2022 the BWB leveraged over $3.5 million which assisted 800 employers, 2800 job seekers, and 2500 youth with their workforce needs.  
 
The Board convened the Berkshire Skills Cabinet, started the Market Maker initiative, and implemented training in healthcare, manufacturing and hospitality as part of its Berkshire Workforce Blueprint. 
 
More than 120 organizations received labor market data from the Board which helped to generate $1.6 million in new resources.   
 
FY2022 Workforce Impact Awards presented to: 
  • 2022 Workforce Ambassador – John Lipa Linden Consulting & General Dynamics retiree – for his 30-year commitment and leadership on the Board, at the state level and strong civic engagement in the community. 
  • 2022 Youth Ambassador – Teagan Far, intern at Berkshire Workforce Board from Lenox High School – for generating labor market reports and igniting a marketing campaign where she developed flyers, banners and career trees.  
  • 2022 Employer of the Year – Susan St. John from Berkshire Health Systems – for her 35+ years teaching, guiding and advocating for students and trainees through their healthcare career ladders.  
  • 2022 Employer of the Year – Lenco Armored Vehicles - for being strong supporters of our manufacturing initiatives including providing company tours, work-based learning experiences for students, and for providing opportunities to help get people back to work.  
In other business, the Board of Directors elected the FY2023 officers which include:  
  • President: Eva Sheridan, Jane Iredale 
  • Vice President: Michael Taylor, City of Pittsfield 
  • Vice President: Albert Ingegni, III, BHCS - Salisbury Estates 
  • Youth Council Co-chair: Doug McNally, Frosthollow Associates 
  • Youth Council Co-chair: Bryan House, District Attorney Office                         
  • Treasurer: James Brosnan, McCannTechnical School 
  • Asst. Treasurer: Beth Petropulos, MountainOne 
  • Secretary: Chelsea Tyer, Neenah Paper 
  • At-Large: David Moresi, Moresi & Associates
The Board voted on the Workforce Business Plan for FY2023 which can be found on its website www.MassHireBerkshire.com.  
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Companion Corner: Cali and Kyzer at The Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a bonded dog pair awaiting a new family at the Berkshire Humane Society.

Kyzer and Cali are both poodles. Kyzer is the male and is 7 years old, a quite a bit bigger than his sister Cali, who is a miniature of Kyzer and 8 years old.

Canine adoption counselor Rhonda Cyr introduced us to the two.

"They came from a household that couldn't hold on to them, and it sounds like they may have been abandoned by their previous owner with somebody else, and so they came to us looking for a new home," she said.

The two love to be around you and snuggle. But both are very happy dogs.

"Kyzer is 7 years old, and his personality is that he kind of wants to be in everything. He's very loving, very snuggly, as you can tell. And Callie here, she's 8 years old, and she is kind of like the life of the party," said Cyr. "She wants to tell you everything about her day, and she's a little bit of a little ham."

The two are considered seniors and really like soft treats as Cali just had a few teeth removed and Kyzer has a tooth procedure coming up.

"Currently, they really like soft treats, because they are both on the senior side of things. So they have had some dental work, so they are really in need of something softer. They are not big chewers at this age, really, their main focus right now is just really socializing and cuddling," Cyr said.

The two would love a quiet home with someone who wants to snuggle. They shouldn't go to a home with bigger dogs but if you have a dog, you can bring them in for a visitation with the poodles to see if they will get along. Cats will be fine and the preference is for older and more responsible children so that the pups don't get hurt, as they are senior citizens.

"The perfect home for them would be a quiet home that's not too active. Like I said, they're very social, so they could handle some visitors," she said. "They're very friendly, but I don't think that they would really enjoy any other dogs in the home."

Poodles need to be regularly groomed, and the prospective adopter will have to keep an eye on their health. Kyzer has a heart murmur that needs to be monitored. This doesn't mean he is in bad health, as he could live a perfectly normal life, but he will need to be checked by a veterinary specialist routinely.

"Ideally, he would go to a home that could provide further health care with a specialist in cardiac care. And you know, he could very well live out the rest of his life comfortably and happy," Cyr said. "We just don't have all that information at the moment, but I think that you know the way he's going right now. He's got a good spirit, and he seems to be pretty happy."

The shelter is hoping the to get them a home for the holidays.

"We would love to get them a home in time for the holidays. They've been here since the eighth of November, and they're really, really looking as much as the staff loves them here, we're really looking to get them into a home and somewhere nice and cozy so they can spend the rest of their life together," she said.

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