Erika Terrazas participated in Partners in Education’s Job Readiness Training and Internship Program when she was in high school in 2010. And now, as the nonprofit’s program services manager, she’s recruiting professionals in Santa Maria to volunteer for the same job readiness program she did 14 years ago, she told the Sun.
“From experience, it’s really important to learn those basic skills that will be beneficial when applying for a job,” Terrazas said.
Administered by the Santa Barbara County Education Office, Partners in Education prepares students for college, careers, or the next grade.
The eight-week program brings in professionals from the community to coach students in résumé building, cover letter writing, financial literacy skills, professional communication, and interview skills. Within this time, the county will also bring in human resources professionals to host panel discussions and speak about employee rights, and energy and health care professionals will host a panel about their respective fields.
As of Feb. 7, Terrazas was looking for five volunteers from Santa Maria to coach students on these life skills, help them prepare for future careers, and provide insight to their professions, she said.
“I think it’s beneficial because our volunteers motivate students and provide real life experiences; they are great role models for students who may not know about the workforce or are just learning,” Terrazas said. “I think their expertise is critical in this development, and we want to provide them with different voices, especially in the Santa Maria community, and different backgrounds and pathways and exposure to those.”
Before becoming a coach, professionals must complete a Live Scan background check and training. Partners in Education provides a curriculum with talking points, but it’s flexible for the coaches to adapt to their own experiences, she said. The deadline to volunteer is Feb. 20, and the spring program starts Feb. 22.
While applications for students already closed for this round, Partners in Education hosts the Job Readiness and Internship program twice a year, with the next round happening in fall 2024. While Partners in Education rotates its program between Santa Barbara County cities to ensure it equally distributes resources, Terrazas added that Santa Maria will continue to be a place they focus on because the high school district has the most schools and a large student population.
To participate, students must fill out an application and submit an essay to Partners in Education. Once they complete the free program, students receive a $200 stipend and work as an intern for 80 hours with local businesses where they are paid minimum wage.
Terrazas said that participating students get a leg up by having their résumés ready now to apply for jobs.
“And at the same time, they’re earning $200 to do something they would later have to do on their own,” she said. “Getting that support from volunteers and coaching is so important.”
Visit partners.sbceo.org for more information, and call (805) 964-4170 or email [email protected] with any questions.
Highlights
• The Lompoc Fire Department recently purchased a full set of emergency rescue tools after receiving a $75,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety. The tools include spreaders, cutters, a combination tool, and a ram for helping extricate people from auto crashes. These tools are electric or battery-powered, whereas extrication tools previously used by the Fire Department were 26-year-old hydraulic tools. “These life-saving tools are essential to auto extrications when seconds count,” Lompoc Fire Chief Brian Fallon said in a statement. “This updated equipment is easier to deploy and use than our previous extrication tools. The addition of this equipment helps ensure we can best protect the safety of Lompoc residents and visitors.”
• The Santa Barbara County registrar of voters announced that the Santa Maria Elections Office—511 Lakeside Parkway, suite 134—is open and will offer a full range of voter services in preparation for the March 5 presidential primary election. The office will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and then again from 1 to 5 p.m. The Santa Maria office will provide new and registered voters with assistance for registering to vote, updating voter registration, receiving voter-related materials, and voting accommodations for persons with disabilities. A secured ballot drop box is located in the Santa Maria office parking lot for drive-through drop off of completed ballots. The Santa Barbara County Elections Office provides voter services for community members countywide. Thirty ballot drop boxes are located throughout Santa Barbara County and will be available 24 hours a day through 8 p.m. on Election Day, March 5, 2024. Voters are encouraged to use the drop boxes to return their completed ballots. Find a list of drop box locations at sbcvote.com.
Reach Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor at [email protected].
