
New place to get your taco fix
With a sign inside that says, “Feed me tacos and tell me I’m pretty,” what’s not to love about Taco Madre? Mike Petchenik has the scoop in today’s Biz Bits.

With a sign inside that says, “Feed me tacos and tell me I’m pretty,” what’s not to love about Taco Madre? Mike Petchenik has the scoop in today’s Biz Bits.

More than 100 students will graduate today from the Nuclear Operator Apprenticeship Program. The course is a collaborative partnership between Aiken Tech, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS), Savannah River Mission Completion (SRMC), and Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) to build the workforce pipeline for much-needed nuclear operators at SRS. The ceremony will include remarks from representatives from each program partner and the awarding of the Nuclear Fundamentals Certificate to each apprentice. The Nuclear Operator Apprenticeship Program began in the spring of 2020 and has seen significant growth, with this cohort

Think how much easier hiring new employees would be if the process was an exact science. Well, in some respects, it already is. According to The Predictive Index, “Talent optimization” is “a four-part discipline that details what’s required for aligning your business strategy and your talent strategy” to attain desired business outcomes. At its core, talent optimization “is the collection, analysis, and application of people data.” Those four parts (or “aptitudes”) include: Diagnose Design Hire Inspire The objective, as Talent Management suggests, is a seamless alignment between strategy and hiring, so that “everyone

As you might have heard, Augusta’s Bell Auditorium is undergoing a multi-million-dollar renovation. Mike Petchenik gives an update on the details in today’s edition of Biz Bits.

This is the beginning of Startup Advocacy Week and a group based at the Georgia Cyber Center held a roundtable discussion with someone who can carry the needs of entrepreneurs to Washington, D.C. theClubhou.se is a coworking space that also offers education and support including coding, a mentorship network, and think tank. However, the Aug. 15 roundtable focused on the organization’s Make Startups, a training model that provides a credential demonstrating participants have learned the skills and milestones to succeed. Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA12), who is a member of the

As many of you may know, today I am returning full-time to the classroom for the first time in seventeen years. The last time I taught a full teaching load was in Spring Semester 2006 at Kennesaw State University (KSU), when I was also asked to begin my administrative career as a department chair. During my time at KSU as an administrator, I continued to teach one or two courses per year, until I came to Augusta University (AU) as Dean in February 2017. Although I taught in an executive

Orange Otter Toy Store will celebrate its first year in business with a ribbon cutting with the North Augusta Chamber of Commerce this week. Customers are invited to celebrate the company’s milestone at their location on Aug. 17, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. A free board game and Kona Ice will be offered to those in attendance. In a statement, Aubrey Hinkson, owner of Orange Otter Toy Store, said, “We created this store with busy parents and families in mind, and we are honored to help folks find unique,

While the nursing industry continues to struggle nationwide to hire and retain personnel, other medical fields are also facing challenges. A ceremony at Aiken Technical College on Aug. 11 will provide a measure of relief. A pinning ceremony was held for 64 graduates of the college’s health science programs. This cohort was for students in the expanded duty dental assisting, medical assisting, medical coding, and surgical technology programs. “We gather to celebrate not just your accomplishments graduates, but also the profound impact you’re poised to make in the fields of

Where have all the workers gone is still a question I hear. Restaurants are closed some days because they cannot get the staff. Dry cleaners refuse to accept clothes after 5 pm for the same reason. In the Augusta MSA, there are 263,000 people in the labor force, down from 270,000 pre-pandemic (see below). Nationally, about 2.6 million workers are in the workforce compared to pre-pandemic. Although the labor force level by demographic is not available for the local area, national data suggests who has returned to work and who

There’s a whole lotta smokin’ goin’ on this summer across the country leading up to the World Championship this fall. Local BBQ legend, Kurt Mueller is in it to win it. Mike Petchenik has more in today’s Biz Bits.