New Business Finds Great Success With Michigan Works! Services
Being a new business to the Alpena area, Ben’s Soft Pretzels, located in the Alpena Meijer store, was having difficulty finding the right workforce quickly before their big opening. Owner Don Drabik needed a manager. Someone they could rely on to hire others, get operations running, and keep the business successful while Don moved on to Indiana to open another location. Unfortunately, they soon found that Meijer had created a bit of a hiring barrier for them; Meijer had just hired over 300 people, which left a much smaller hiring pool for Ben’s to choose from. And that’s when Don came to Michigan Works! and worked with Business Solutions Professional, Bernadette Schuelke to help overcome this hiring obstacle.
Michigan Works! provided Ben’s with interview space, collected resumes and applications, and got Ben’s a booth in their April Career Fair. It was at this fair, one month before their grand opening, that Ben’s found their new bakery manager, Cari Oliver! Cari was a little light on management skills and bakery experience, but had the right attitude and willingness to work through the On-the-Job Training (OJT DW NEG 2622) program. After completing the OJT program, Cari received her credential in bakery management. Thanks to Michigan Works! and the OJT program, Don was able to quickly put his trust in Cari to manage the store on her own while he went to Indiana to get the next location up and running.
Sadly, Don found that the services received here in Michigan were difficult to find in Indiana. Don reached out to Bernadette once again to help him in finding another “Cari” in Indiana, saying, “If I could just find another Cari Oliver, I would be all set!” While Michigan Works! does not service Indiana, Bernadette was able to refer Don to Indiana’s Employment Services and he was able to hire someone for his Indiana location. However, his Alpena, MI location soars above any expectations he ever had; sales are outstanding and the time and energy is half of what Don says he has to put forth in his other locations.
Don says, “Thank you Michigan Works! for helping us find Cari! You were extremely helpful in finding us the right person!”