Employees of Ravitz Family Markets are attending Camden County College at no cost thanks to their employer, and a grant from the Camden County Workforce Development Board.
Every Tuesday and Wednesday evening, a group of approximately 20 employees from Ravitz Family Markets attend classes at Camden County College’s William G. Rohrer Center in Cherry Hill.
Through the Incumbent Worker Training Grant, Ravitz Family Markets are able to send their employees to the College and have the cost of the classes covered by the Workforce Development Board. Ravitz pays their employees to attend the class, ensuring that they do not miss out on income.
The one-year Supermarket Management Certificate program consists of 10 college classes, with topics ranging from management to accounting. Employees who complete the program earn 30 credits from Camden County College. The concept for the program was sparked by a realization by the Ravitz Organization that they had to keep up with the changing times.
“We realized that we needed to be more global in the way we think and operate,” said Ken Brahl, Senior Director and Chief Compliance Officer for Ravitz Family Markets. “The way we do things is not the only way things get done, and the way you learn that is through college”.
For many of the employees enrolled in the program, this is their first time stepping foot into a college classroom. Approximately 90% of the employees at Ravitz worked their way up the ladder from part-time to full-time, and with a six-day work week, there was not much extra time to go to college. As a result of being compensated for their time spent in the classroom, a significant barrier has been removed for these employees, allowing them to begin their higher education journey.
Due to momentum they have gained through attending this program, several Ravitz employees have chosen to continue their education, and are working towards, or have completed their associate degrees from Camden County College. One employee even received a Camden County College shirt from his mother as a Christmas gift, as he was the first in his family to attend college.
For Ravitz, they are already seeing the benefits of their employees’ participation in the program. At a recent End-of-Quarter meeting, the Store Managers who had just completed the program’s accounting class had a noticeably higher level of understanding of their store’s finances. 4 out of the 5 Store Managers had no prior college experience before attending this program.
The success of the program has led to it becoming a requirement for Store Managers at Ravitz, and there is a growing waiting list of other employees who are eager to participate.
“We’re excited to see the caliber of our management in the coming years as a result of this program,” remarked Ken. “It’s an investment in the futures of our employees, and our business.”
