Register for Confidence Café
A no-cost customer service skills workshop for Kodiak’s workforce and businesses
Join us for a fun and useful time of customer service training to build your confidence!
As a new employee steps behind the counter for the first time, a customer walks in with a question. Then the phone rings, but someone is waiting in front of the counter to check out. The store manager is nearby, and also busy… and the new employee handbook did not say anything about juggling all the things at once!
Confidence helps someone take a breath, greet the person in front of them, and know what to do next.
KEDC is hosting Confidence Café: Customer Service and Public Facing Skills Workshop on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at Bean & Bloom Coffeehouse. This no-cost, hands-on workshop is designed for employees, job seekers, students, new workers, and business representatives who want to feel more prepared in customer service and public-facing workplace situations.
This workshop will give participants a chance to practice the moments that can feel awkward or overwhelming at work. What do you say when a customer is frustrated? How do you ask for clarification without feeling embarrassed? Is it possible to stay friendly when you are nervous? And how do you communicate with a manager that you are unsure what to do (without feeling ridiculous)?
These are the kinds of everyday workplace moments that build confidence when people have a chance to practice them before they happen on the job!
Participants will work through fun, engaging customer service simulations and practical exercises in a supportive setting. The goal isn’t to be perfect, but helping you feel more ready to engage with the public, as well as with teammates and managers.
For someone new to work, that might mean feeling a little less nervous on the first day. Or if you are already on the job, it might help you feel more comfortable with the moments that repeatedly cause stress. Maybe you are in the market for a job and want something real to point to when you talk about your skills. For students, including homeschool students, Confidence Café can be a practical way to explore workplace communication and career readiness outside of a traditional classroom setting.
Business owners and managers are welcome, too. You may come because you want to learn a few fresh ways to support your team or because customer service is hard to train when everyone is busy. You may also meet people who are just starting out or looking for work in Kodiak, and that is valuable in its own way.
In fact we are setting aside a full hour just for this purpose!
The lunch hour is part of the design. The morning session will wrap up with lunch, and the afternoon session will begin there. That overlap will give people time to meet each other in a more relaxed setting before or after the training. It also gives participants a chance to ask business owners and managers about their work, without the pressure of a formal interview or resume exchange. You can build your confidence by engaging with people in a variety of fields and learn more about what they do. We are providing time for participants to be curious about what is available for employment in Kodiak.
The training will be led by Pele Warnock, a Community Economic Development Consultant with RCAC, with support from KEDC. We are proud to share that Bean & Bloom is serving as the event business sponsor.
Each participant will receive a certificate for three hours of customer service training. For all students, KEDC will also provide information to document the experience as career readiness, workplace communication, customer service, or practical skills training.
The workshop is valued at approximately $250 per participant and is being offered at no cost to participants.
Space is limited so each person can receive attention and support during the session.
Event details
KEDC and RCAC are pleased to have Bean and Bloom host this training event.
Date and location: Tuesday, August 11, 2026 @Bean & Bloom Coffeehouse, 450 E Marine Way, Kodiak, AK 99615
We have 2 separate sessions available
Morning Session: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ORAfternoon Session: 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
No cost to participants, and lunch is provided from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
The deadline to register is August 8 and limited to 16 participants per session
Advance registration is required. You may request the morning session, the afternoon session, or let us know that either one works for you. KEDC will do its best to accommodate first choices, but registration is not confirmed until KEDC sends a confirmation.
