Welcome to The Waterbury Talks. I'm your host Grant Copeland today's conversation is with Cathy . Cathy is the executive director of NRWIB, the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board, an organization that promotes business growth in the Waterbury area. Cathy was born and raised in Waterbury. One of six daughters whose father owned a local manufacturing shop. And her lifelong curiosity has gotten her involved in all kinds of endeavors, board of education member, high school basketball coach pharmacist, the governor's Workforce Development Council with some surprise stories mixed in this Jill of all trades explains what's here for labor and what opportunities exist for individuals and businesses like. Join us now as The Waterbury talks with Cathy Awwad, tell us about your responsibilities and what the main mission of NRWIB is. So the Northwest regional workforce investment board serves amongst Waterbury, uh, 40 other municipalities for 41 communities that we're responsible for. We are charged with administering. Both federal and state funding for the promotion of employment and training opportunities, marrying the job seeker with the employer, making sure that we're meeting the employers needs so that the employer remains viable, continue to provide meaningful job opportunities for our community and that mainly just job opportunities, but more career pathways for our residents throughout the, throughout the region. Uh, uniquely in Waterbury here, uh, we have. Worked very hard. Uh, Mayor O'Leary came in in 2011 at a time when the unemployment rate in Waterbury was almost 17%. And up until the, the pandemic in March, uh, the employment rate here had gotten as low as I believe it was 4.1 or 3.6%, very low numbers. That's reflective of the strategies that have been put in place by the current administration, the economic development teams, also the education providers, the training providers creating that skilled workforce. That allow us to keep employers satisfied and keep our job seekers working and keeping the region vital. When and how did you join the Northwest regional workforce investment? I started here in January of 2001, uh, at, after serving a very brief stint as chief of staff to the mayor of the city of Waterbury. At the time the entity was undergoing a transition and there was some leadership issues. And I, at one point was doing both the chief of staff job and the director's job here. And then. In January, we felt that it was more important that this received full-time. So I moved over here and took over the role at the time. It was the greater Waterbury workforce investment board, and we were only 12 municipalities and, uh, 2003, we merged with the ven Danbury Torrington workforce investment board, and now we're 41 communities. So we grew and I assumed the role of director at that point. And we have continued to grow. Uh, when I started the budget here was about 3 million and today it stands at over 12 million with additional projects out for consideration, for funding. So it's, it's been an interesting ride. It'll be 20 years in jail. So let's discuss some of those wonderful programs that NRWIB offers. Maybe you can start with the manufacturing, your future program. Sure. So we've got a manufacturing, your future. Thank you for the plug for our new app, we have recently launched a new mobile phone app that allows. People to sign up for and, uh, apply for the different manufacturing training programs that we have going. That's a unique way to reach people everybody's on their phones these days. Uh, so we're excited about that, but the manufacturing programs in general, throughout our region, and specifically here in Waterbury, uh, have been very beneficial, again, the breast capital of the world. Uh, we. I'm working hard to make sure that our folks here in the manufacturing trades with the employers and the job seekers have the skills that they need. Advanced manufacturing is very different today than it was when my dad owned his shop. Uh, you know, very different, very high-tech very high wage, uh, very clean. Uh, the old moniker of manufacturing was dirty, dark and dangerous, and it is no longer that in fact, many of the, uh, operations are done in clean rooms, uh, CNC, presses, uh, we still have the, the islet and the stamping, but again, we've watched technology changed the way manufacturing works, and we've got to make sure that the workforce can meet the challenges of the technology. So it's a, it's a really interesting thing that we do. We've got great training providers here. The manufacturing Alliance service Corps is one that, uh, Was started by, by the manufacturers themselves back in the seventies and eighties, they had a hard time finding their workforce. So they created their own training program. That's evolved now to be a very, uh, great program that runs up, uh, Behind BJ's in Waterbury. And, uh, we're looking at adding a plastics program there as we see the plastics industry, uh, continue to need employees as well as your rank and file manufacturers. And there's nothing rank and file about a manufacturer, but CNC's presses now plastics is, is emerging as a, as a leader employer in our region as well. Naugatuck valley community college. Has a great manufacturing floor right in there, a facility up on the campus and the tech hall building. So we're, we're pleased to have students go there. And then lastly, uh, which has been really a great opportunity is the Waterbury career academy, which is the high school based program that exposes our students to careers in manufacturing. They have a 5,000 square foot manufacturing floor right in the high school. Um, it's really an amazing concept up there and we are pleased to be able to be with. And putting that curriculum together. So we've done a lot of things throughout the city and throughout the region to promote manufactured. Tell us about the future bankers program. So our future bankers program is something that I learned about at the U S conference of mayors in Miami. A few years ago, it was a community college based program that was integrated into their K to 12 system. So we came back home. I thought that maybe this is something we could do here. So I approached, uh, the superintendent of schools at the time, asked her what she thought they were very interested in the opportunity. And so we were able to work with Crosby high school as a pilot. We recruited students and it became an after-school program. It is, uh, we're a partnership with the center for financial training, which. As we learned about the program, CFT does actually all the training for banks when they onboard new hires. So here we have an opportunity for some high school students to enjoy the curriculum that's delivered to a new hire at any of our local banks. We went out and got three banking, partners, savings bank of them. The ion bank and the, uh, Thomas and savings bank were very, very generous with their partnership. Once the students completed the online portions, uh, these banks, we actually had a signing day. These students all signed pre-apprenticeship contracts with the bank. So like you get recruited to play for the red side. These kids got recruited to play for one of those banks. They enjoyed the opportunity to have an internship during their April vacation, which we paid them to participate in. And they all received free college credits for the program, as well as the experience. And I am understanding that, uh, three of those students ended up working full time for those banks after high school. So it's a great opportunity. We continue to, to do that. We're now have a partnership with job Corps in new Haven to run the program for them. So it's, it's a really neat thing. We have the. Registered pre apprentices in banking in the state of Connecticut came through here. And so Crosby high school and the workforce board. Very proud of that. And how about the healthcare profession opportunities? So our healthcare profession opportunity grant known around is HPOG. Uh, we are in our fifth year of a federally funded program. We're partners with two other workforce boards in this program, uh, the rib in the new London area and workforce Alliance out of the new Haven area. So we're partners with them. And this program is designed to give opportunities and healthcare careers for folks that are low income, uh, and are looking at a career pathway. So we do. Um, a lot of recruitment for that. There's a two week mandatory bootcamp that we do, um, that makes sure folks are ready and prepared to be successful. Once they enter their actual health care training modules, uh, there's resume writing there's, uh, some job readiness skills, and then the individuals select which type of healthcare. They'd like to enter. So we have medical assisting training. You can do a CNA and PCT training. There's an EMT component and a pharmacy tech component. So the participants choose which avenue they'd like to pursue. They enter into the training programs with our local providers, and then we work to place them in employment, uh, in the area in whatever. Industry w whatever sector they chose, uh, I want to thank Peter Adamo. Who's now practicing his trade down in Philadelphia, who is a great partner for us at whatever hospital, with our placements there, he was very helpful in getting our folks placed up there. And we continue that partnership today with Waterbury hospital. A reasonable partnership with CVS who likes to take our pharmacy tech graduates. And of course the EMT is the local ambulance companies look to secure them. So it's been very successful. Um, folks that aren't selected for this program have the opportunity to enter health care trainings and other venues that we run here. But again, no one is turned away. Everyone has the opportunity to succeed. And that program uniquely comes with a significant amount of support services. To those participants. We have been able to help people if their rent is in arrears or their electric bill is a little late. We're able to provide them with funds for that, as well as support the opportunity to have their children in childcare. We can offset the cost of the childcare transportation through bus passes or gas cards. So it's an, it's a, well-rounded very holistic program. That's been very successful and it's, I believe we're in October, we'll start our sixth year of that and talk about the Waterbury youth. Whatever a youth build program is a great opportunity for youth in our area that have not finished high school that are looking to secure their GED, as well as develop an occupational trade. Our partner right now is habitat for humanity. The pandemic has had some effect on our ability to, uh, construct the family home for a low-income family. But, uh, the program itself is designed to have these students spend two weeks in a classroom working on their GED, and then the next two weeks out on the building. Working alongside contractors, learning the different trades that are involved in home. Building from pouring the foundation to putting in the plumbing, to standing the walls, running the electricity, electricity, the HVAC roofing, and then our graduates will likely then. Go on to post-secondary education or enter an apprenticeship program with one of the registered trades. So we're, um, working through the impact of the pandemic right now, as we look to recruit our students, but it it's, it's a very well-known national program and we were very fortunate to be selected last year when we were awarded the grant. Now NRWID does a lot with Waterbury youth beyond just singular programs. Can you talk about the, the larger sphere of how you're influencing the youth in this. I think the impact that the workforce board has been able to have on the youth and Waterbury. We fund the summer program, uh, summer work employment program, which we fund a variety of vendors. So youth have the opportunity for different experiences. Uh, the Waterbury YMC with Jim, our work, he has, uh, we fund him and he has kids. That'll go out and work at the camp or work on site at the Y Waterbury youth services. Another, another, uh, great institution here in Waterbury provides opportunity for students to have job experiences with local nonprofits. Uh, some of those students are. The different neighborhood associations or write in our public libraries or indifferent at the hospitals doing administrative and clerical functions. And then, uh, probably. Our largest provider is the watery police activity league. Um, we fund them and they have in years past run a tutoring program during the summer where the, uh, workforce students through pal would actually go into the classroom and assist the teachers during summer school. Of course this summer is a little bit different, but they are still managing to have an impact. Uh, on the younger students, we have a culinary program through. Their food truck that you might see out and about, uh, is staffed by some of our culinary graduates over there. And then we had a landscaping program that runs out of there. So if you're an elderly individual in Waterbury and you have a hard time getting your lawn tended to in the summer, pal has a landscaping crew. You get on the list, we go over the kids, we'll go over and take care of the lawn two or three times during the summer. So it's, it's had positive impact. It's had workforce readiness skills. Um, one of the things. Tell all the kids is, this is an opportunity, not an entitlement. They have to show up. They have to be on time. They have to call in if they're sick, uh, we're trying to teach them the skills that they need to be successful when they enter the world of work. After high school with programs ranging from manufacturing to construction, to banking, to it, to retail, how has NRWIB created programs to match the workforce needs of Waterbury area? So people wonder why we run any specific program. Route all of our decisions based on labor market information, uh, the department of labor has a very robust labor market information site where we can look to see where the trends are. And we use that data to inform our decisions. Our board is very responsive to that. I have a great board of directors. Our board chair is. and we've got some great, uh, private sector, people who understand where their industries are going. So we try to take the board's pulse of where their industries are going. Um, and again, we, we, we really look to. Define our strategies and our employer outreach to be targeted, to be strategic about who we're, what employers we're talking to to make sure that they realize what the benefits are. We bring to them. Uh, we're about to launch a new sector strategy partnership in a multitude of different, um, industry sectors. We're going to probably start with manufacturing and healthcare because those two seem to dominate our landscape with employers and really try to have. Take the lead in those sector strategies, because they're the ones that are going to benefit. I can think, I know what they need. An educator can think they know what a businessman needs, but a businessman knows what a businessman needs. So his opinion and his impact, his input is going to allow us to shape a system. That's going to really help him more so than what I think or what Naugatuck valley thinks or what, you know, the future bankers training people think. So we need to respond to their needs by taking their pulse and having them drive the. How does NRWIB bring together so many community organizations within these programs. There's a lot of outreach and coordination that goes on. Employer engagement, community engagement, um, industry associations, the SMA for example, a very big partner in helping. Reach out. It's easier to reach the SMA than it is to reach a hundred different manufacturers. Uh, so we, we do use the, the SMA and the CMC out of, uh, Hartford to try to help us. Deliver our message about what the services are here. I think unfortunately, a lot of the services that the workforce board has available to the community is an unfortunately, well kept secret and we need to do a better job of making sure the community and the employers and the job seekers know what's what's happening here and how they can. Really changed their lives by, by working with us and through us. How does your organization work with the state department of economic and community development to help bring business and grow business here? This is local. So we work with the local economic development folks. We do reach out to the DECD folks when we need some additional help in drawing a business to Connecticut or retaining our business, uh, leadership here. So it's really about understanding. Uh, newcomers needs are or understanding what someone that's been entrenched here needs to be able to remain viable, whether it's workforce opportunities, whether it's tax abatements, new equipment, uh, how to reduce their electrical, uh, their energy costs, their healthcare costs. These are things that we participate in discussions with. And again, DECD has a lot to do with bringing those different opportunities to the table and funding an employer, to be able to keep them, keep them here or bring them. And how quote unquote easy is it for manufacturers, educational institutions and other local businesses to get involved with your organic. It's as easy as a phone call or an email. It, uh, we w we have, and I instill in my staff the need to be responsive 24 hours to return an email or a phone call, actually, hopefully short less than that. Um, but we we're, we're open to we're open all the time. We actually secured a dislocated worker emergency grant to help those essentially. Employers find workforce, uh, to make sure that we continue the logistics of delivering the groceries, the logistics of childcare, which certainly has been impacted greatly in this, as well as keeping, um, the healthcare workers, you know, where there was a shortage getting CNAs and or things like that. So it's been, we're very easy. We're very accessible. I believe we're very responsible and responsive to the needs of, of the. And how would you quantify? I know this is a big statement too, to ask a response for it, but how would you quantify the success that the workforce board is having? There's a couple of ways to quantify it. One is the opinion of the community about our services, but more importantly, it's a look at. The unemployment rate in the region that tells us that the community is doing well, our employer base is doing well and that we're making that match between the job seeker and the employer and moving people into meaningful career pathways. Another program here that we've had great success with that, we start. To answer the employer's call is our lead and asbestos abatement program. We had a great run with the EPA, and we're just about to launch another application to do lead and asbestos training in the Northeast, as you well know, many of our old factories are contaminated and need to be cleaned before they can be reused. And every individual that has gone through that process. Is working. I don't have one person on the bench anywhere that's waiting, looking for a job in that field. So we're very proud of that. Many of those folks had had opportunity through the Waterbury, um, good jobs ordinance that required a percentage of Waterbury residents be hired on publicly funded projects. That's been very successful and I really owe a debt of gratitude to Mayor O'Leary, who, when he took off his double down with the contractors to say, Follow this ordinance, and we will make an impact for our community to have access to jobs here locally, where their taxpayer dollars are funding opportunities for construction, that they should be able to benefit. So we're very proud of that and we owe him a debt of gratitude. Let's dive into your involvement in other pivotal organizations, which quite honestly, it seems like Alyssa, that's never ending. Let's start with you. Having previously served on the Waterbury board of education. What's your view on the quality of education and the progress being made in the public schools? I think the quality of education in the Waterbury school system is there. I think it's, I think there's a number of very dedicated teachers in our school system that want the best outcomes for their students. We have the Waterbury career academy. We have the arts magnet school. We have great career pathway programs and every one of our comprehensive high schools, as well as exposure to those career pathways in our middle schools. So it's how do we engage the student? Keep that student engaged and at the same time, engaging the. Parent engagement is key to making sure that the child is following through on all the opportunities that are available to them. You've also been selected by the governor of Connecticut to serve on the education committee of the workforce investment board, along with some of the state's heaviest hitters. How did this come about and what are you charged with doing on that board? Yeah, that was a great opportunity for me. And I would credit my work with the board of education here in Waterbury. One of the reasons they selected me to serve on that committee. Uh, and yes, there's some very heavy hitters on that. Um, we have had the opportunity to have some very good discussions with that through the governor's workforce development council. A lot of those conversations revolve around student counseling, career advising, um, and what is really needed to strengthen that both in the middle school and high school levels. Um, My unique perspective here, having been on the board of education, as I talked to some of the school superintendents, uh, we were talking about creating opportunity to create awareness for guidance counselors. You cannot espouse something to which you do not know. So for a guidance counselor who understands how to be a guidance counselor for them to talk about a manufacturing career, if they've never seen it, Touched it and smelled it. They don't know what they're advising the students. So we're creating career awareness opportunities for the guidance counselors, themselves to have a better exposure to the different career pathways and occupations that are available throughout the state. I think that's a very unique opportunity that we have to, we have to make sure that we educate the guidance counselors to what's out there. That's I think the first step, the Waterbury development corporation, what does that get you in for? Well, the water development Corp, I've been proud to say I've been a member of what was the initial NVDC. Uh, and then onto WDC since I was on the board of alderman as far back as 1993. So I've been around there for awhile as well. It was certainly an honor when the mayor asked if I would share that. So, uh, that's, that's been a great privilege for the last two years and, but there's a lot of opportunity there to see different economic projects. Really, it kind of comes full circle and lets me see all the different things that where the workforce board can have an impact by getting in on the ground floor on some of these projects as they're launched, you're also on the board of the Naugatuck valley, regional development corporation. What is the mission of that? Mayor Hess and Mayor O'Leary both understood that. Projects that were being funded throughout the state had more of a regional flavor than a local flavor. So by, um, morphing NVDC into the nuggets valley, regional development corporation, we're able to leverage the different opportunities that each municipality can bring. So the opportunity to leverage the regional resources for workforce development, for economic development and for the growth of the communities is great to be a part of on top of everything. You're also clinical. I am a pharmacist by education. I opened until a few months ago, practiced, uh, at both the, uh, community level. Uh, I had worked for CVS and most recently for Oxford pharmacy. And also served as the clinical pharmacist for the local methadone clinics, uh, did that for about 11 years. Um, with times being with their other work here became more demanding. And so at this point I've stepped away, but I did decide last week, it's time to get back into that. So I'll be looking to dip my toe back into the water of pharmacy sometime in the very near. Well, of course we could talk for several hours about all the organizations and initiatives that you're influential in, in terms of your career as a whole though, what are you trying to achieve and all this? What mark are you looking to leave? I'm not looking to leave a mark for myself. I definitely would like to have this workforce board. Be respected across the state as one that got it. Right. And did it inexpensively? Uh, we have, uh, like I said, we have a $12 million budget, but a very small percentage of that is our administrative costs. I like to think that the majority of our dollars have impact on the folks that we serve, be it the employer or the job seeker. So, um, I think not for me personally, but for this agency, the respect that I would like it to have. When someday I step out the door for the last time, that that to me would be the most important that the agency was recognized for its successes and its accomplishments. Is there a philosophy that really drives you to accomplish all these things? Not really. I think that, you know, that old saying that all politics is local. This is my hometown. This is where I grew up. This is where I raised my. My kids are still here. They're working here. I like to say they're off my payroll on someone else's and I just made sure that someone else's payroll remains viable so they don't land back on mine. But, uh, I'm, I'm very proud of what they've done. They're teachers, they're construction workers, they're accountants. They've done very well. And the success that I've been able to have my family enjoy. I'd like to make sure other families could enjoy the same. So let's keep rewinding back in your time in Waterbury, you're born and raised here. And what was your childhood like? My first job was delivering bill paper, newspaper when it was the Republican, the American cause that was afternoon paper. So I had about 50 customers in the overlook neighborhood. Get out of school, pick up my route. I made 10 cents a week per customer, so I made about $5. My very first purchase from my own gain. As in fully gained gainfully employed individual was a softball mit at the old Bradley's. I'm very proud of that. I still have that mid, uh, grew up in the overlook area. Um, got married, came back after completing college up in Boston, bought a house 13 houses away from where I grew up. So I stayed in the neighborhood. On the drugstore there, right at the corner where I spent as a kid, the old napkins pharmacy became . And then when we were up there, it was called Fulton pharmacy. So I'm very proud of the relationship with my neighborhood. Uh, enjoy that opportunity up there. And, uh, while I'm no longer living up there, uh, it was probably some of the best times of my life. What were your impressions of Waterbury growing up versus what you see? Of growing up. I can remember the CR and L bus line. My grandmother worked third shift, a second shift at Timex. So she get us on the bus with her. She'd take us downtown, we'd go to Woolworths or holon Hughes for lunch. She'd put us on the bus. And she knew the bus driver by name. So he made sure we got off at the right stop when we got back up into the neighborhood while she got on the bus to go to Middlebury, to work. So I think those days are gone, unfortunately, but it was a very. Friendly city. It's still a very friendly city. Uh, you can walk into any store and know everybody. It's a, it's a, it's a big city with a small town type of mentality. Uh, somebody always said to me, don't say anything bad about anybody to somebody, because you never know who they're related to in this town. Uh, but I, I I've enjoyed living in Waterbury. Uh, again, my family was raised here, uh, and most of my sisters still live here. So our family is still here and committed to the city. Tell me about your, your sisters. I am the oldest of six girls. So my poor dad, even the dog was a female, so he had no shot. But, uh, again, um, my sister McKayla is now successfully retired from general electric. One sister left and moved overseas and now lives in Northern England, but the other three of them are still here. One is it's school teacher. One is a sh as a chef and the other one is a drug rep sales for Abbott labs. So everybody did pretty well. Mom and dad raised us, right. They taught us to be respectful. Just a quick story. I was up in Kent last month, promoting, uh, last year, excuse me, uh, working on getting some documents secured and we were at a town meeting and. The officials were speaking to us and yes, sir. No, sir. And as we left the meeting, the first selectman said, were you in the military? And I said, no, sir. Why? He said, because you always say, sir, I said, no, I was just raised. Right? So I'll credit my mom and dad for making sure that we knew how to conduct ourselves. You graduated Notre Dame academy in Waterbury and headed off to the university of Connecticut. What was your vision at the time? I wanted to be a doctor when I left Notre Dame academy, I wanted to be a surgeon. In fact, and I went to UConn for. Walked to Notre Dame from my home and then walked to UConn because it was the branch up on hillside at the time. But then realized that I really had, uh, discovered pharmacy. And at the time UConn, pharmacy was extremely competitive. They only took 100 students. And so I opted to assure that I could complete. Career pathway. And I ended up going up to Boston to the Massachusetts college of pharmacy. I lived a block from Fenway park and my claim to fame is I climbed the sickle sun. So, um, completed my education and then came back to Waterbury, worked for a number of chains before we opened our own drugstore back in, uh, 1988. So it's been, been quite a career here. One of your many remarkable feats in one that most may not know about you is that you are a single mother who raised four children. Talk about how you're able to be a leader in the household while you're also a leader out in the community. Yup. I think no one starts out wanting to be a single parent. Um, unfortunately I, uh, we, we divorced in, uh, 2001. I left in 2001 and myself and the four kids did well. We lived up on Euclid avenue. Um, Crockpots were great ways to make sure everybody had a meal. We tried to at least to eat together two or three nights a week. Uh, then the kids began to go off to college and that kind of changed the dynamic in the house. But you know, it's all about time management. And as I look back now, you would wonder how you did it, but at the time you just did it because it was what needed to be done in the kids were great. So it worked out fine. I. I think in the end, we were all better, better for the experience. And today, like I said, there are four great kids. They're not kids anymore. They're all doing very well in their careers. And I'm very proud. You did more than just raise them. You coach them to, uh, I didn't coach them. I actually cheered them, uh, through all of their sports endeavors, basketball, football, tennis, um, and then had the opportunity to begin to coach after they were all gone, because I kind of had some time on my hands. So I was given the opportunity to coach the fall league. For the Crosby boys. Uh, I met Nicole jelly back in 1993, when he was the minority leader of the board of aldermen. We became good friends. And, uh, here we are 27 years later and I am now the, uh, official head coach of the freshmen boys basketball team across me, which I enjoy. Uh, and. Had coached the varsity and JV kids in the fall leagues, uh, up until this past year. So it's a lot of fun. Uh, it's an opportunity to give back and it's an opportunity to really have some fun with the kids and enjoy the game. I love the game of basketball. Here's an interesting wrinkle. What do you think your four children would say about you? What would my four kids say about me? Well, they would, they probably tell you that I was too intense that, um, I should lighten up a little. And I know they have encouraged me to do a little bit less and enjoy a little bit more. So I've tried to take them up on that. And, uh, I think they, I always said to them, the only thing I want in the end is to know that I was a good mom. Tell me about some of your heroes. My heroes. Well, let's see. My first hero was Carl Yastrzemski at his age. Had. Inside the park home run that I happened to be at the game four, and I thought that was pretty good. Uh, but you know, I think my heroes, uh, my mom raised six kids and then the year I went to college, she went back and got her LPN so that she could help pay for tuition with the six kids needing to go to go to school. Uh, my dad got up every morning and was gone before the sun came up and didn't come home until it was down working in manufacturing. Which really gave me a bird's eye view of a lot of things. Uh, when I served on the board of alderman, I was on the board of public works and we were upgrading the sewer plant. And somebody said to me, how do you know so much about sludge? I said, well, it was a nightly conversation at the dinner table as it was part of dad's employment. So like I said, the mom and dad are pretty good and. I'm the oldest of six kids. And I'll, I'll tell you that. Uh, when I was, uh, 32 years old, as I said before, I ran, met Nicole jelly and he's been a mentor to me and a good friend. So I don't know. Supposedly a little bit of a hero. He's coached Crosby basketball for over 50 years. The last hurrahs an interesting choice for a favorite book. Tell us about the book and your interest in it. Notre Dame academy, we had a class called independent reading and you got to pick whatever book you had to read a book a week. And I picked up this book called the last hurrah and it was. About Boston politics. And it was really good. Uh, Frank Skiffington was the mayor of Boston in this book. And it was who knew that this is how I was going to end up being, working in politics, but it was just a great story. It was political, it was intrigued, it was corruption. And I was like, wow. So when I look back at that, I'm like, yeah, that book kind of was a foreshadowing. So very interesting, but a great. And I hear Billy Joel is a favorite musician. He obviously talks to many respects about the plight of new Yorkers, but also the challenges of all people. What about his music strikes a chord with you? Uh, I've been listening to Billy Joel since his second album came out and I think I own every one of them and they still have some of the vinyl ones, uh, have enjoyed his concerts, uh, actually missing. Uh, Billy Joel concert. Cause I thought the red Sox were going to beat the Mets and win the world series one year. That was a mistake I'll never make again. Uh, but I just enjoy his music. I think he's, you know, he talks about Allentown. He talks about, uh, the river of dreams and taking care of his family. So I think he strikes a chord with everybody. I also have a bone to pick with you. Yes, sir. You're in Connecticut. So being a Boston Celtics fan makes. But a duke men's basketball fin coach K. They go way back in their battles with they do they do. And, uh, you know, Gino is a great coach and it's, it's fun to watch him with his cameraderie. But, uh, I think that coach K and the way he manages his team and the teams that he produces, uh, are just phenomenal to watch. I had the opportunity to go to. Two game here at the Mohegan sun a few years ago and had a see, I literally sat right behind him and it was rarely interesting to watch him coaches, his, his players. And so it's, it's more a coach K thing than it is a duke thing. Fair enough. You're one of several people we've interviewed, who've named one of the godfather movies as a favorite. What's the fascination with those movies and leaders in Waterbury. I dunno if he could tie it to the leaders of whatever, but I just think the, the manner in which. They conducted themselves the loyalty. Uh, it's just has a lot of resounding themes through it. You know? Um, my favorite line is leave the gun, take the canola's. But, um, you know, I think it just, it, it talks about loyalty. It talks about family and it talks about really, um, you know, commitment and things like it's, I, I enjoy it's very entertaining. So let's jump into Waterbury a little bit. Long bound and expertise in the specialized manufacturing in the region. And do you see that continuing. In every industry, it has its niches and here in Waterbury and in the area, we have the islet still the eyelids stamping, the deep drop machines. Um, some CNC is in here. We've got plastics now. Uh, so the, and those are niche. Uh, we have to continue to make sure that we can provide the workforce, that those industries need, that those little niche industries need. Um, it's, it's really fun to watch. I enjoy going out and visiting those manufacturers. New to the area, drew Marine, uh, Frank Montero had the foresight to bring that here. So we're trying to work with them to make, see what kind of, uh, employees he's going to need so that he can be successful and remain V you know, remain successful and continue to help drive the region's economy, especially our local economy. What's your take on the depth of the skilled workforce here in the Waterbury region, career awareness, career learning. It's a lifelong learning it back when my dad was an employee, uh, or, and then became an owner. Your skillset was good for 18 to 20 years, you learned a trade and it was good for 18 to 20 years, nothing changed. There was nothing different about kicking a foot press. Then advanced manufacturing came in and across all industries, everything changes what some, I would tell you that our today's kindergarten. Their jobs haven't been invented yet. We don't know what skills they're going to need because that's how fast the, the landscape changes. So we have to make sure that there's that ability to, to continue to learn continuous learning and the ability to adapt and make sure that they have the foundation to adapt. So problem solving is key. Um, the ability to look at a situation and come up with a solution. Is is really something that we need to continue to develop for all of us, not just our youth with so many outstanding schools and hospitals and healthcare providers. The city of Waterbury has a large expertise and education and healthcare. How will the professional talent in this area and the up and coming, um, professionals in this area be influential on the future growth of these industries? I think the fact that there'll be able to handle those jobs is key. We have to make sure that they have the educational background, the occupational skills and the work readiness skills, that those professional skills to be able to be those leaders that we're going to need them to be as. We age on, uh, you know, the aging of manufacturing, the aging of construction workers, the institutional knowledge that we're going to take with us as we continue to age out of the workforce. Um, we have to make sure that we've imparted those tricks of the trade, so to speak on those workers that are coming up. So mentoring is going to be key. How do we create the mentoring ship opportunities? For our youngsters to be able to follow us for a day or stay with us for a week and see just what goes into the day and to know the commitment that it takes to get here on time and to get here early and stay late, to make sure that the job is done. Those are the things that I think we have to really double down on making sure that our, our youngsters understand this is the commitment we're going to need from you by showing them the commitment we're giving them. So overall, and this is a loaded question. What do you see happening in the Waterbury region? Where is Waterbury headed? I wish I had a crystal ball, but I think we've got the foundation to have a very strong future, both locally and regionally, uh, manufacturing information technology. We've got some great, uh, part business partners here in downtown Waterbury, uh, Webster bank, uh, you know, some of the, the insurance people, there are some very vital insurance companies here. The has the two hospitals. I mean that we've been able to maintain two hospitals. Probably unheard of in this, this day and age, so kudos to them for having the leadership to be able to manage in these environments. Uh, so again, it's, it's about making sure that we develop the talent to take the reins as we let them go to keep the, keep the, the city and the region moving. I do think that Mayor Hess is to something with the port of Naugatuck and the impact that that has for the region. Uh, as well as the 84 corridor down to Danbury and the route eight quarter up into the Torrington and the Northwest corner, a lot of opportunity for growth up there. We have the. Leading syringe maker in the Northwest corner of Connecticut BD. Uh, we need to make sure that we can keep them viable and how do we transport our workforce, get them up there. Transportation is an issue. Connectivity is an issue up there. So it's how do we solve those issues regionally that have the local impact for our workforce and for our future employers, supply chain, uh, things like that last question, and this is your chance to give me the reasons why I should bring my business or bring my family to the Waterbury. Well to bring your family to the Waterbury region, I think is very easy. It's a community rooted in morals. We're have a very strong religious communities. Uh, we have the, the, uh, the Ushiva, the new, uh, the new leadership that, uh, father Sullivan has brought. So the immaculate conception, the host of clergy that get together on a routine basis to S to, to talk about the religious differences and the accepting of those differences, the cultural makeup of our community, uh, and the discussions that we've had. The summer where the marches have been peaceful and meaningful and have provided insight for our community. I think there's a lot of room for, uh, families to come here to be embraced by the different cultures here and, and put roots down that that they're lasting. It's very important. And I think that the opportunity through the school systems, we've got the K to 12 system doing a great job in terms of making sure that, that the fundamentals remain strong. We have. UConn downtown. We have Naugatuck valley. We have post university who has made a very serious commitment to downtown and to the community there. Uh, when you look at the impact that post has had downtown, right along with, with, uh, UConn and the housing opportunity, I mean, you can go to UConn and now have a dormitory here. So it's, we've come a long way. And I think the future is. Thank you so much for the time. Thank you. Listen to the full series from the Waterbury talks and learn more about Cathy. the Northwest regional workforce investment board. Local job opportunities can all the city offers at thewaterbury.com.