Career exploration, scholarship wins, and industry connections are some of the possible outcomes for young adults if they attend a free workshop put together by the Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board.
Operations Manager Alyssa Stovall and her team organized the board’s first youth career summit in years, which will be held in Santa Maria on Aug. 6. Locals ages 14 to 20 are invited to the free conference starting at 10 a.m. inside the Allan Hancock College Fine Arts Complex.
“It’s been in conversation with some folk that are a part of our board for a long time, and we just decided that it was time to pull the trigger,” Stovall told the Sun. “We’re excited, and we’re hoping that it will sort of be the first of many annual youth summit events.”
Lots to gain, little to lose
Locals ages 14 to 20 can register for the free Aug. 6 youth career workshop by visiting forms.cloud.microsoft/g/ZqY6TbvGNb. To be considered for a scholarship award, submit the application by July 31.
The event will be held at the Allan Hancock College Fine Arts Complex (800 S. College Drive in Santa Maria) from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Attendance is free, and lunch is provided.
The event is one of the programs that the Workforce Development Board supports. Using mostly federal funding, the group aims to help job seekers connect with employers and gain useful skills. Individuals can also benefit from help on searching for a job, résumé writing, and occupational training. The board serves more than 25,000 residents annually at its two resource centers in Santa Maria and Santa Barbara.
Stovall said the work that the board does is “legitimately life-changing.” Some adults progress from not being able to provide for their family to landing well-paying work. Others take advantage of free on-the-job training with the board’s partner companies to break into their desired career.
“Ultimately what the Workforce Development Board wants to do is to connect people who are looking for jobs to jobs that are going to have living wages and allow people to really flourish and thrive in our community,” Stovall said.
While the board works quite a bit with adults in the county, the other half of its business is helping younger folks. Stovall believes engaging young community members early in their lives will help them plan for bright futures.
“I think the earlier the exposure, the better. It helps people have expectations about how things are going to look in the future,” Stovall said.
At the August youth summit, up to 125 participants will experience an atmosphere comparable to a professional conference. There’ll be a check-in period, breakout sessions, a keynote presentation, complimentary lunch, raffles for computers, and scholarship awards. The day is expected to conclude around 3:30 p.m.
Students may learn more about soft skills, interviewing techniques, internships, and career pathways. Employers will speak on industry panels including health care, technology, and education, and they will be available to answer questions.
“A lot of youth, I think, go to their first job interview or go to submit their first job application and really have had no exposure to what those processes are going to look like,” Stovall explained. “Our goal is to sort of give them a heads-up of what they need to do right to get these jobs, to get those interviews.”
There’s “absolutely no reason to be nervous,” she added, because there aren’t any high stakes. The summit is meant to be an opportunity for learning and engaging with industry leaders in the community.
As the cost of living continues to rise, the board is there to help Santa Barbara County residents put their best foot forward.
“There’s no cost to attend. You get a free lunch. You learn some new skills and information,” Stovall said. “I think it’s sort of a no-brainer. If you can attend, you definitely should because you’re only going to come out ahead.”
Highlight
• Join the Orcutt Mineral Society for its 58th annual Rainbow of Gems show from July 31 to Aug. 2. Held at Nipomo High School beginning at 10 a.m. each day, visitors will have opportunities to see rocks and minerals from more than 60 dealers and watch club demonstrations. Plus, don’t miss the silent auction, free giveaways, and kids’ activities. Admission and parking are free.
Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in July 23 – July 30, 2026.
