AGAWAM – During the Agawam City Council meeting hosted on Feb. 19, the committee introduced a new program that seeks to invite local businesses to present during committee meetings. The first to present was Robin Wozniak, executive director of West of the River Chamber, located in West Springfield.

Council President Christopher Johnson explained, “We’re going to extend invitations to local businesses to come in to have a short give and take dialogue with the council and to introduce themselves if they’re a new business in town or if they’ve just expanded. This will also give them the opportunity to explain what their business is and allow questions to go back and forth.”

Johnson also explained that at least four businesses are currently interested in presenting during a future City Council meeting and that they hope to implement these presentations at least once a month during meetings with shorter agendas.

Wozniak, a 20-year resident of Agawam, opened her presentation with optimism toward the new collaboration between businesses and the City Council. “I truly appreciate this opportunity and I think it’s a great collaboration going forward with the Chamber and the City Council to incorporate this business brief once a month, giving chamber members and the business community to introduce themselves and their business to the legislative people that run the town,” Wozniak said.

Wozniak shared that her vision is to keep the business community thriving for future generations in Agawam. “It’s very important to me that the business community thrives and prospers in our region. I’m raising my daughter to be able to provide her with the opportunities right here. I don’t want her to have to go to Boston. I don’t want her to have to go to Hartford or down South to start her career and raise a family. I want her here in Agawam,” Wozniak said.

Wozniak continued, “I believe in this town and the West Springfield area. It’s a great environment. If I can support the business community to grow and prosper, then I’m doing my job as the executive director.”

Describing the programs offered by the West of the River Chamber, Wozniak explained that the business seeks to support students. “The West of the River Education Committee, along with our 501C3 are taking great initiatives in implementing programs and opportunities for the younger generation right here in our community to show them the opportunities that are here,” Wozniak said.

Wozniak shared that the West of the River Chamber has contributed to programs such as mentoring through local high schools, career days, apprenticeships and the implementation of manufacturing programs.

Concluding her presentation, Wozniak said, “The West of the River Chamber is not only a marketing avenue, if you will. We want to promote the business environment to the young and to the businesses that are here. It’s important to me and I’m here for my business community. If they need something, they come to me and I try to help them. I’m hoping now, with this collaboration, they can also come to [the committee] for assistance.”

Johnson commended the West of the River Chamber for working with Agawam Public Schools and the Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative in West Springfield. “I’m excited about the fact that the Chamber is working with not only the Agawam Public Schools, but also with the Collaborative over in West Springfield, especially given the shortage that exists these days in the manufacturing arena for qualified employees,” Johnson said.

Johnson, a longstanding member of the Springfield Technical Community College Board of Trustees, suggested that the West of the River Chamber collaborate with the college in areas such as manufacturing. “My term there is going to end relatively shortly, but I would encourage to make that connection to us as well because we have a state of the art manufacturing program that’s only a couple of years old,” Johnson said.

Johnson said he believes many students are realizing that a four-year college may not be the path for them, and that other options should be introduced to young students. “What we find is if we can get some of those younger students in to see what we offer, it sparks them to understand that, as I like to put it, not everyone is cut out to go to a four-year college and graduate with a bachelor’s degree and then go from there. Right now, there’s a shortage of qualified people to fill high-quality, well-paying, fully benefited jobs. It’s not just machining, there’s all different kinds of manufacturing. We offer that next level just to get them in to see what’s there. What we find is when they see it, that gets them excited and it gives them a direction in their life that they can go,” Johnson said.

Wozniak shared that one of the West of the River Chamber’s goals is to show all opportunities to students. “There is a huge skills gap right now and it’s part of the chamber’s mission to give the younger generation all of the opportunities that are around. Not everybody is going to go to a four-year college and there are plenty of opportunities right here for the younger generation to have a healthy, prosperous career in a lot of the trades. There’s a lot of opportunity in our area and I think we need to open those doors and open those opportunities to the younger generation. That’s part of the mission for the chamber is to really open those opportunities up,” Wozniak said.

Councilor Rosemary Sandlin said she agreed with Johnson that including Springfield Technical Community College would be beneficial. “I think the mentor program you have at the high school is wonderful, but I would like to see you extend it to STCC. I think that there’s a great deal of capacity at STCC in the networking departments and in the computer and engineering department that could use a mentor or internships. I don’t think young people understand where they’re going for a few years.” Sandlin said.

Wozniak shared, “I’m going to add that onto the education committee agenda so we can look into that and see how we can work together with STCC in providing opportunities for the younger students.”

The Agawam City Council meets the first and third Monday of every month except for summer months and Monday holidays. The City Council meets at 7 p.m. at Agawam Junior High, located at 1305 Springfield Street in Feeding Hills.