Your future, our focus
P O W E L L, W y o. - The Northwest College Center for Training and Development will close out February with two topics of relevance to most business owners: building a drug-free workplace and learning to use electronic spreadsheets.
Raymond Gonzales of R&A Safety Training will talk about building a drug-free workplace at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, for the monthly Business and Breakfast seminar. He'll take listeners step-by-step through all the applicable laws, best practices and what to consider regarding anti-drug workplace policies.
He'll gear his presentation to businesses that are in the thinking stages of starting a drug-testing program as well as to those that already have a policy in place but aren't sure if it's up to par.
Recent Wyoming legislation gives employers a significant discount on Worker's Compensation rates if they have a drug-free workplace policy in place. According to results of a recent survey sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drug-using employees are 2.2 times more likely to request early dismissal or time off, 2.5 times more likely to have absences of eight days or more, three times more likely to be late for work, 3.6 times more likely to be involved in a workplace accident, and five times more likely to file a workers' compensation claim.
Admission to this presentation is free, and a continental breakfast is provided. The Business and Breakfast series is sponsored the last Tuesday of each month to give hectic business owners an opportunity to pick up some business savvy before heading to the workplace. Sponsors are the NWC Center for Training and Development, Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce, Wyoming Small Business Development Center, U.S. Small Business Administration, Wyoming Business Council and the University of Wyoming.
A basic Excel class is offered from 5:30-9 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, Feb. 26 and 28, for both business owners and employees who want to learn about electronic spreadsheets. A follow-up course on more advanced topics will be offered April 8 and 10. Individuals who sign up for both will receive a $15 discount.
Bill Boudreaux is the instructor for both sessions. In the February class, he'll provide a basic overview and cover working with formulas and functions, formatting a worksheet and working with charts. The April class looks at analyzing data using formulas, managing workbook data, using tables and analyzing table data.
Each two-night class costs $79 and includes a comprehensive manual. Those who enroll in both classes pay a reduced total cost of $143.
To register or for more information, e-mail Stacy Gilman or call (307) 754-6062.