Workforce Development Challenges - Business Survey To help the Santa Maria Valley Chamber better understand community challenges around workforce development, please take a few minutes and fill out the survey below. Question Title * 1. Name: Question Title * 2. Title: Question Title * 3. Business/Organization: Question Title * 4. Email: Question Title * 5. Phone: Question Title * 6. Industry: Technology Agriculture Aerospace Healthcare Manufacturing/Engineering Hospitality Trades (plumbing, electrical, etc.) Arts and Culture Other (please specify) Question Title * 7. Does your business have an internship or apprenticeship program? Yes No Question Title * 8. If "yes" to the above question, please specify (check all that apply) High school interns Community college interns University interns Paid Unpaid Question Title * 9. How many interns did your business have in 2023 (to the best of your knowledge)? Question Title * 10. Briefly describe any concerns you have related to intern/apprentice readiness: Question Title * 11. Are there senior employees in your company who might be interested in suggesting topics for continuing education, providing material for curricula, and/or potentially teaching courses for their area of expertise? Yes No If yes, please provide name & contact information below: Question Title * 12. How often does your business engage with local schools for educational purposes? Frequently (monthly or more often) Occasionally (a few times a year) Rarely (once a year or less) Never Question Title * 13. In what ways does your business currently partner with local schools? (Select all that apply) Internship programs Job shadowing opportunities Guest speakers Field trips to businesses Career fairs Donations or sponsorships Other (please specify) Question Title * 14. What are the biggest challenges in establishing and maintaining partnerships with local schools? (select all that apply) Lack of interest from schools Insufficient time or resources to manage partnerships Difficulty aligning school and business goals Lack of communication or contacts Other (please specify) Question Title * 15. From your personal experience, please specify any talent gaps you see in your business related to soft skills: Reliability Professionalism Communication Team interaction Creativity Leadership Other (please specify) Question Title * 16. From your personal experience, please specify any talent gaps you see in your business related to technical skills: Production Line Operators Technicians (Mechanical, Technical, etc.) Engineers (Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, Aerospace, etc.) Project Managers Computer Science IT/Network/Cybersecurity Leadership Development Marketing Administration Accounting/Finance Other (please specify) Question Title * 17. How effective do you believe these partnerships are in preparing students for the workforce? Extremely effective Very effective Neutral Ineffective Very Ineffective Question Title * 18. What specific activities or programs would you like to see more of through business-school partnerships? (select all that apply) More internship opportunities Enhanced job shadowing programs Regular guest lectures from industry professionals Collaborative project-based learning Mentorship programs Other (please specify) Question Title * 19. How satisfied are you with the opportunities your business has to engage with the local education community? Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Question Title * 20. What resources or support do you need from schools to enhance student learning and career readiness? Better communication and coordination More structured programs and curricula Access to student performance data Opportunities to participate in curriculum development Other (please specify) Question Title * 21. Do you conduct or sponsor employee training programs? Yes No Question Title * 22. If you answered "yes" to the above question, what programs do you offer? In house training programs Outsourced training Collaborate with local educators Other (please specify) Question Title * 23. If you answered "no" to question 21, why is this not something you offer? No need for emp training No time/bandwidth to organize training Collaborate with local educators Too expensive Other (please specify) Question Title * 24. How many open positions does your company currently have? Question Title * 25. How can schools better support your efforts in preparing students for the workforce? (Select all that apply) Providing more internship and job shadowing opportunities Involving businesses in curriculum development Facilitating more collaborative projects Other (please specify) Question Title * 26. Local assistance, including funding, is available for businesses looking to upskill existing employees, hire new employees, or provide on-the-job training or temporary employment. Would you like to learn more about funding and other resources available? Yes No If interested, please provide your contact information (if different from above): Question Title * 27. What are the key skills or qualifications local businesses have identified as necessary for future employees? Question Title * 28. How can businesses and schools work together to better align education with local workforce needs? Question Title * 29. In what ways can the Chamber support our local schools in preparing students for the workforce? Question Title * 30. Any additional comments you would like to include? Done