The Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board announced the launch of the Lompoc Valley 2019 Initiative, a collaboration between local youth, city leaders, government agencies, and private businesses. Also known as Workforce Week, the initiative includes three events aimed at providing individuals with work-related resources for every step of the job-search process, from how to find the right job to getting hired.
Each event takes place during the week of April 21 in Lompoc, including the third annual Young Adult Jobs Summit on April 27, which is intended to reduce youth violence by providing young adults with the tools necessary to find a job and explore long-term career goals.
“The goal is to do our part in changing lives and reducing violence through the power of work,” Program Manager Luis Servin told the Sun. “The message is that there is a great amount of opportunities out there—violence shouldn’t be one of them.”
The first of the Workforce Week events, the Get Job-Ready Workshop on April 23, is specifically designed to help attendees prepare for the second event—the Lompoc Valley Job and Resource Fair on April 24.
“Job seekers will learn how to introduce themselves in a professional manner to employers at the fair,” Servin said. “Additionally, we’ll do some critiques. This will maximize their chances of finding that perfect job.”
Participants in the workshop, which is open to all ages, will create a 30-second elevator pitch they’ll be able to use at the fair. The class will be held at the Dick DeWees Community Center in Lompoc on April 23, from 4 to 6 p.m. The center is also home to the fair itself, which takes place the following day, from 1:30 to 4 p.m.
Job exhibitors and seekers are encouraged to register as soon as possible, Servin said, although the registration deadline stretches until the day before the fair, April 23.
The initiative concludes with the aforementioned Young Adult Jobs Summit, at the Lompoc Boys and Girls Club on April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This is the first year the event will take place in Lompoc rather than Santa Maria.
“From its inception, the plan has always been to rotate it throughout the county in order to allow youth in all of our communities the opportunity to be part of this event,” Servin said.
The theme of this year’s summit is “unlocking unlimited possibilities,” Servin added. The event will include an employer panel focused on exploring “key industry sectors” to help young adults find the most job opportunities. Youth workforce development expert and motivational speaker Edward DeJesus will present a keynote address at the summit.
More info on the Lompoc Valley 2019 Initiative can be found on any of the three events’ eventbrite.com pages, or by calling the Workforce Development Board at (805) 681-4453.
Highlight:
• Janet Silveria, president and CEO of Community Bank of Santa Maria, announced the addition of Randy Kammerer as vice president and commercial lender. Kammerer has mainly worked for community banks throughout his career, with more than 25 years of banking experience as a loan officer and credit administrator. “I am very happy to join the Community Bank of Santa Maria family. The employees and customers are amazing and have such a strong sense of community, which is refreshing,” Kammerer said in a press release. “We are truly a family, and I have a strong appreciation for the Santa Maria style of banking.” For more info on Community Bank of Santa Maria, visit yourcbsm.com.
Calendar Editor Caleb Wiseblood wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, mail, or email at spotlight@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Apr 11-18, 2019.