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.

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* 1. Name:

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* 2. Title:

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* 3. Business/Organization:

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* 4. Email:

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* 5. Phone:

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* 6. Industry:

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* 7. Does your business have an internship or apprenticeship program?

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* 8. If "yes" to the above question, please specify (check all that apply)

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* 9. How many interns did your business have in 2023 (to the best of your knowledge)?

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* 10. Briefly describe any concerns you have related to intern/apprentice readiness:

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* 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?

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* 12. How often does your business engage with local schools for educational purposes?

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* 13. In what ways does your business currently partner with local schools? (Select all that apply)

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* 14. What are the biggest challenges in establishing and maintaining partnerships with local schools? (select all that apply)

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* 15. From your personal experience, please specify any talent gaps you see in your business related to soft skills:

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* 16. From your personal experience, please specify any talent gaps you see in your business related to technical skills:

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* 17. How effective do you believe these partnerships are in preparing students for the workforce?

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* 18. What specific activities or programs would you like to see more of through business-school partnerships? (select all that apply)

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* 19. How satisfied are you with the opportunities your business has to engage with the local education community?

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* 20. What resources or support do you need from schools to enhance student learning and career readiness?

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* 21. Do you conduct or sponsor employee training programs?

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* 22. If you answered "yes" to the above question, what programs do you offer?

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* 23. If you answered "no" to question 21, why is this not something you offer?

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* 24. How many open positions does your company currently have?

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* 25. How can schools better support your efforts in preparing students for the workforce? (Select all that apply)

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* 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?

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* 27. What are the key skills or qualifications local businesses have identified as necessary for future employees?

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* 28. How can businesses and schools work together to better align education with local workforce needs?

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* 29. In what ways can the Chamber support our local schools in preparing students for the workforce?

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* 30. Any additional comments you would like to include?

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