After 14 weeks of training, Women’s Economic Ventures graduated 20 Northern Santa Barbara County residents from its flagship Self-Employment Training Course (SET) at a Dec. 15 ceremony in Santa Barbara.
Of the 114 total graduates, 11 hailed from the Santa Maria Spanish SET course. Startup businesses from the course included “Grandma’s Tamales,” owned by Susana Nava, and “Sponge Bob Day Care,” a children’s daycare center owned and operated by Griselda Ramos.
The SET program is targeted at women (but also serves men) and provides guidance on how to start, operate, and expand a business. Courses are offered twice each year, in both English and Spanish, with the next classes starting in February. The course runs for 14 consecutive weeks, one night a week for three hours, including two full Saturdays. Participants can sign up at any time throughout the year, after attending a free one-hour orientation workshop.
The next orientation for Santa Ynez Valley residents will take place in Buellton on Jan. 11 from 6 to 7 p.m. Orientations will also be held in Santa Maria on Jan. 14 from noon to 1 p.m. and in Lompoc on Jan. 19 from noon to 1 p.m.
For more information, call 965-6073, Ext. 100, or visit wevonline.org.
Biz Briefs is compiled by Staff Writer Jeremy Thomas. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Dec 23-30, 2010.
