Grab your brown bag lunch and head to the Ames Chamber of Commerce for its monthly “micro-training” business seminar.

The Ames Chamber of Commerce will host the next monthly brown bag lunch seminar on Friday, April 4 at noon.

The topic of the next seminar is “Workers’ Compensation — What if You Don’t Have Protection?” It will be presented by Jim Brewer of Newbrough, Johnston, Brewer, Maddux and Krauth.

There is no fee for the seminars for those who are members of the Ames Chamber of Commerce, and there is a small fee for non-members.

“I think they provide an opportunity for our chamber members to learn at no cost about something that they may need in their own business,” said Julie Schlarmann, communications and membership manager for Ames Chamber of Commerce.”

Schlarmann said the seminars are a new idea to help benefit commerce members. The first seminar was held Feb. 28 and the topic was meeting the media. “We had a really good turnout,” Schlarmann said.

Following the presentation there is time for audience members to ask questions and discuss ideas.

Schlarmann said the seminars could benefit members of the Iowa State community because ISU is a member of the Ames City Council. “You could say they’re one of our biggest members,” she said.

She said people with seminar ideas can send them to the Chamber and describe the topic of the proposed program, how the audience will benefit and what qualifications the presenter has.

“If there’s a topic of information that a professor or anybody feels would be interesting and draw a crowd then there’s no reason they couldn’t give it,” she said.

Schlarmann said people have expressed interest in topics such as business finance, computer technology, human resource management and general business management topics.

The seminars begin at noon and end at 1 p.m.

Space for the seminars is limited, so those interested should call the Chamber. Sack lunches may also be ordered in advance for $4.