TOLEDO, Ohio – Effective training can enhance a company, an industry, a region – even the
economy. Two northwest Ohio-based organizations are aiming to spread the word about the
benefits of properly educating the workforce.
Karen Everage, director, Toledo Restaurant Training Center (TRTC), and Sarah Stubblefield,
career coach, WSOS Community Action, will present, “Training for the Future,” at the monthly
Northwest Ohio Ag-Business Breakfast Forum, Thursday, Apr. 18 from 8 – 9:30 a.m. The program
begins at 8:30 a.m. with informal networking prior, hosted by the Center for Innovative Food
Technology (CIFT) at the Agricultural Incubator Foundation, north of Bowling Green, Ohio.
TRTC is a non-profit proprietary school, established to provide education and training to foodservice
professionals. Their program initiatives help industry restaurateurs grow their businesses as well as
to give foodservice professionals a resource of continuous education and skills enhancement for
career development.
WSOS Community Action is a partner in the Innovative Strategic Training Achieving Results
(iSTAR) program, designed to train individuals for a new career pathway. Student participants
receive the benefit of their accelerated education being grant funded, while employers who become
partners in the program receive up to 50 percent reimbursement of on-the-job training costs. So far
the program has paid big dividends, touting a 90+ percent completion and hire success rate.
The Northwest Ohio Ag-Business Breakfast Forum is an educational networking opportunity to
provide information on current issues, trends and programs available to the agricultural community
and those who support its advancement. The cost is just $10 per person (cash or check at the
door) which includes breakfast and networking opportunities.
The Agricultural Incubator Foundation is located at 13737 Middleton Pike (St. Rt. 582) in Bowling
Green. Directions: I-75 to St. Rt. 582, exit 187 (Luckey/Haskins). Travel west on St. Rt. 582
approximately 2.2 miles. The Agricultural Incubator Foundation is located on the south side of
St. Rt. 582. Walk-ins are welcome, but guests are encouraged to reserve a seat in advance by
emailing rsvp@ciftinnovation.org.
About the Center for Innovative Food Technology
The Center for Innovative Food Technology is a developer and provider of technical innovations and solutions
for the food processing, agribusiness and agricultural sectors of the economy in our region, our state and
beyond. These innovations and solutions are developed in order to enhance the economic performance of
the food processing and agricultural sectors. More information is available at www.ciftinnovation.org.