MARQUETTE — Northern Initiatives is offering a series of free, monthly online workshops to strengthen leadership skills in managers and business owners.

Hosted in partnership with ZingTrain, the workshops will take place from January to April and are open to all. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.

This workshop series is designed to help participants master key management skills, including effective hiring, training development, and performance management.

ZingTrain, based in Ann Arbor and known for its training expertise, draws on proven models from Zingerman’s 10 businesses to provide a practical, straightforward approach to these topics.

“The ZingTrain Leadership Workshop Series offers in-depth, actionable training for managers at any stage,” said Israel Flores, business services director for Northern Initiatives. “These workshops on hiring and training have been essential as we grow our team, and we’re thrilled to extend this opportunity to our customers.”

Through partnerships with the Aspen Institute and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Northern Initiatives is able to provide this workshop series free to 75 participants.

Participants will be able to choose individual workshops or the entire series. The monthly schedule includes —

— Jan. 15: “Tools for Interviewing and Hiring”;

— Feb. 19: “Create Training Plans that Work”;

— March 19: “Five Steps for Effective On-Shift Training”;

— April 16: “Leader’s Guide to Performance Management.”

All sessions will be 1 to 3:30 p.m. Eastern time on the third Wednesday of the month.

“These workshops offer a practical framework to make hiring and training more manageable and impactful,” Flores said.

Registration is limited and can be done now at the Northern Initiatives website, www.northerninitiatives.org.

Northern Initiatives, a non-profit Community Development Financial Institution certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, that delivers loans and business services to small business owners and entrepreneurs to strengthen the economy of Michigan’s Upper and northern Lower Peninsula and northeastern Wisconsin. Originally established by Northern Michigan University in 1985, Northern Initiatives became a private non-profit corporation in 1992. Learn more at northerninitiatives.org.