As we prepare to celebrate Independence Day, we recognize the spirit of resilience, innovation, and collaboration that drives our local workforce and business community. From all of us at the Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board, we wish you a joyful and safe holiday!



Together, We Shape the Future

As we move forward in 2025, the Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board remains committed to collaboration, transformation, and community impact. Through our work, we strive to bring people together, create opportunities for growth, and build a thriving workforce ecosystem.

Introducing...

Santa Barbara County National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP)

Creciendo Raíces: Empowering Farmworker Families Through Outreach, Connection, and Opportunity

As a new program in SB County, the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP), also known as Creciendo Raíces [kreh-SYEN-doh rah-EE-sehs in Spanish], has focused on building trust and awareness through consistent community outreach and engagement. Our goal is to ensure farmworker families know about the free career services, training, and wraparound support they may be eligible for.

Over the past few months, we've visited high school classrooms, career education programs, and adult learning classes like GED, ESL, and Spanish Literacy. Our team has participated in Migrant Education and DELAC meetings, joined student clubs and advisory groups, and built connections with agencies and community-based organizations. Just as important, we’ve prioritized direct outreach to farmworker families - meeting people where they are, whether in the fields, at school events, or out in the community.

Exciting Transition Ahead...

Eckerd Connects to Lead Adult & Dislocated Worker Services as well as the America's Job Center of California (AJCC), effective July 1, 2025

The Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board (SBCWDB) is pleased to announce that Eckerd Connects has been selected as the new Program Operator for WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker services, as well as the America’s Job Center of California (AJCC), effective July 1, 2025.

This strategic transition enhances our mission to support a stronger, more resilient workforce by connecting individuals to meaningful employment and helping businesses find skilled talent.

Through the Adult and Dislocated Worker Program, job seekers gain access to career coaching, job placement, training opportunities, and supportive services. Employers benefit from customized recruitment support, on-the-job training reimbursements, and rapid response services—all provided at no cost.

SBCWDB Executive Director Luis Servin shares "We are thrilled to welcome Eckerd Connects to our county as a new program operator. With their wealth of experience as an operator in Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties, we are excited to have them on board and look forward to collaboration and reaching new heights together."

“On behalf of everyone at Eckerd Connects, thank you for welcoming us into this community of dedicated partners. We’re not just starting a contract, we’re joining neighbors, employers, educators, and Board members who share a passion for opening doors to good jobs and brighter futures. We look forward to listening first, collaborating closely, and celebrating each success story because every résumé polished, skill mastered, and position filled strengthens the Santa Barbara County communities.” – Christina Kuhn, Operations Director.

Eckerd Connects brings a proven track record in workforce development and community impact. As the new AJCC Operator, they will serve as the central hub for connecting job seekers and employers with vital workforce services throughout the county.

To learn more about our programs or to connect with one of our team, visit SBCWDB.org or contact us at info@SBCWDB.org.

High Roads Construction Careers - Resilient Workforce Fund Program (HRCC:RFW) Graduation

In a tri-county collaboration, the Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board partners with the Workforce Development Board of Ventura County and San Luis Obispo County to provide no-cost MC3 training to county residents in partnership with the Tri-Counties Building & Construction Trades Council. The High Road Construction Careers: Resilient Workforce Fund program (HRCC:RWF) provides pre-apprenticeship training and exposes participants to a wide variety of trades to support their goals of working in various building and construction trades. The program is dedicated to supporting and empowering workers to enter the workforce with skills and training needed, to be successful.

It also featured a career panel consisting of:

• Ben Werner, Corporate Programs Manager, UCSB PACE
• Thomas Stevens, Executive Director, Vandenberg Space Launch Delta 30
• Brian Dincau, Microfluidics Laboratory & Innovation Workshop Manager, UCSB
• Dr. Emily Manne-Nicholas, Telescope Operations Scientist, Las Cumbres Observatory

18 employers & resources participated in the job fair with an approximate 150-200 job seekers attending.

SMVCC Strawberry Dinner

On April 25, our NFJP team met with with Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture Karen Ross at the Santa Maria Valley Chamber Strawberry Industry Event.

WORKCON

From April 29-May 1, Executive Director Luis Servin, Business Services Strategist Alma Janabajab and Program Analyst Ana Aguilera attended the annual California Workforce Association's (CWA) WORKCON conference. This year's theme was "Strength in Change: Resilience for the Future."

State Street Job Fair

The State Street Job Fair returned on May 7 with 65 employers representing a variety of industries such as automotive, business services, education, energy & environment, agriculture, government, healthcare, manufacturing, non-profits, retail, hospitality to name a few. There were also an approximate 400 job seekers attending. State Street has been an ideal location as it also catches the attention of those who happen to be walking or biking through State Street and might not have even considered looking for a job.

Paid Work Experience Info Session

May 13 was a Paid Work Experience lunch and learn held in Santa Barbara which informed businesses an opportunity to boost their workforce at no cost to their business.

This unique opportunity is designed to help businesses provide valuable work experience to second-chance hires (individuals who have been justice-involved). By participating, businesses can receive 300 hours of work with 100% of wages and liability covered by the SBCWDB.

A virtual event serving countywide will also be available to those who missed this event. More information is in the Resources for Businesses section below.

CHIPS Connection Event

On May 21, Operations Manager Alyssa Stovall attended an event about the new Classroom Hosted Internship Program (CHIP), piloted by students and an instructor at Carpinteria High School, in collaboration with Rincon Engineering. The program, which was supported by the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce and the Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board, allows high school students, primarily second-semester seniors, to take on the role of an intern within their high school classroom. Rincon shared projects with students and instructor, with the instructor serving as the hands-on supervisor of the classroom interns, providing guidance and support. This partnership gave students the opportunity to work on real-world projects and content without having to pass through the “red-tape” of being formally hired into an internship program with a local employer, and freed up staff time at Rincon Engineering, as the instructor provided the day-to-day oversight of the students. Students were able to gain connections to the industry and network as part of this pilot, and, at the end of the program, interested participants had the opportunity to interview with the employer, providing them a genuine potential pathway into this CTE industry. We heard from a panel featuring some of the student interns, the CHS instructor, the President of Rincon Engineering, and CHS Principal, all of whom expressed great enthusiasm over the success of the program. While this pilot program focused specifically on Manufacturing and Technology and was made possible by the amazing equipment available in the CHS classrooms and the buy-in from both the CHS Principal Mr. Cornejo, and instructor Mr. Miller, I am excited to see the ways in which this model can be expanded to other CTE pathways to enhance the work experience opportunities of Santa Barbara County students in both North and South county.  

Santa Ynez Economic Summit

On June 5, 2025, the Solvang Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2025 Solvang Economic Summit at Craft House at Corque in Solvang. The event brought together leaders from the community and included speakers like Santa Barbara County 3^rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann, Solvang Mayor David Brown, EconAlliance CEO Jenelle Osborne, and the SBCWDB’s own Operations Manager, Alyssa Stovall. The theme of the event was “Building Economic Growth for a Stronger Future,” and focused on building solutions to strengthen the regional economy. Panels and conversations centered around opportunities to continue to build on successes in the area, and upcoming projects and plans to make the Santa Ynez Valley (SYV) an even better place for its residents and an even more attractive location for tourists visiting from the North and South. Community-based solutions regional manager at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), Danna Stroud, served as the event’s key note speaker, and provided a higher-level view of the job situation throughout the state. The SBCWDB was able to share information about the resources offered to job seekers in the community as well as ways for employers to connect and take advantage of subsidized employment through its Paid Work Experience or On the Job Training options.

Partners in Education Learn & Engage Luncheon

On June 9, Operations Manager Alyssa Stovall, Business Services Strategist Alma Janabajab and Program Analyst Christine Espinoza attend the Partners in Education lunch and engage luncheon.

Partners in Education has many resources available like offering paid internships for youths, Computers for Families, to name a couple.

National Professionals Day/Week/Month for July

(sources: Terryberry, Guusto, Inspirus, National Today, Crestline)

Days

• 1 | National Postal Workers
• 6 | National Air Traffic Control
• 8 | National Paramedics
• 16 | Personal Chef's
• 24 | National Thermal Engineer
• 25 | National Hire a Veteran
• 25 | System Administrator Appreciation
• 31 | National Intern

Have a Chat with Us

Meet with a couple of our team members to listen to the recruitment needs as well as future trends of your businesses so we can identify qualified candidates and prepare participants for your positions. While we set up our scheduling platform, please contact our Business Services Strategist, Alma Janabajab at Alma@SBCWDB.org to set up a 30 minute meeting.

Business Interest Form and Services

Businesses, are you interested in upskilling, hiring, utilizing paid work experience? Please visit our website at SBCWDB.org to complete the interest form.

Below are 2 resources for businesses. The flyer on the left side is a summary of what's included in the our SBCWDB Business Services Guide (on the right side) which includes many of the services and resources we have to offer to you. Feel free to reach out to Business Services Strategist, Alma Janabajab if you'd like more information or a presentation to you and/or your team. The Guide is also available off our website at SBCWDB.org.

2023-24 State of the Workforce Report

The State of the Workforce report for Santa Barbara County was presented by BW Research during our October 25 Full Board meeting and is now available on our website at SBCWDB.org. New designated industries have been added to our previous list of nine.

Paid Work Experience Info Session

P2E is a program in place to support justice-involved with job readiness training, job placement in subsidized and unsubsidized employment, and provides supportive services based on needs related to attaining training or work. Since actively enrolling program participants since January of 2025 in partnership with Probation, Goodwill Mission Services, and Eckerd, a total of 14 are in subsidized employment and three have transitioned into full-time employment. A Goodwill Mission Services case manager shared the following success story:

"We have a participant who was completing their paid work experience at the Good Samaritan shelter as a farmer in Lompoc. They were interested in pursuing more of a long-term employment, and with support from their probation program coordinator and the P2E program, they applied for a dispatch position with the Goodwill Store and were offered a full-time position. They continue to receive assistance, including supportive services."

Loans for Small Businesses and Vocational Education

Since 1904, The Jewish Free Loan Association has provided interest-free, fee-free loans to people of all religions and backgrounds in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. Their loans can be used for a wide variety of purposes including small businesses, start-ups, and vocational training. The terms are simple: you pay back exactly what you borrow in 36 monthly installments.

Small Business and Start-Ups: Up to $50,000 can be borrowed for small business expenses with 3 qualified guarantors, up to $36,000 with 2 guarantors, or $7,500 with 1 guarantor. All guarantors must have good credit and steady income. To be eligible for a loan, the applicant must be a resident in the county of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara or Ventura and provide valid ID. Please click here for additional information.

Vocational Training: Eligible students pursuing degrees, diplomas, or certificates at Vocational, Extension or Trade Schools, Community or Junior Colleges can receive up to $5,000 with one qualified guarantor or up to $10,000 with two qualified guarantors. To be eligible for a loan, the applicant must be a resident in the county of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara or Ventura. Please click here for additional information.

Job Seeker Interest Form

Job seekers, if you're looking for a job and hoping to get some assistance with job search, career guidance, interview preparation or to find out what resources are available to you, please complete our Job Seeker Interest Form available on our website at SBCWDB.org.

The flyer on the right is a brief overview of what we offer job seekers.

Click here for a PDF copy

Zero Tuition Program at Laurus College

Recently, Laurus College released the Zero Tuition Program for 100 northern Santa Barbara and Southern San Luis Obispo county residents. The program targets high school graduates from June 2020 through June 2025. These are the high school completers impacted with the Covid-19 circumstances. In response, Laurus College is asking for community partners (like SB County Workforce Development Board) to 'get the word onto the street' that a bachelor's degree tuition is free to these first 100 enrollments able to begin classes by September 8, 2025. There are a few other qualifiers (completing the FAFSA is one, choosing a qualified degree program is another) to quickly solidify an enrollment. These five programs support technical and high demand career pathways with significant earnings potential. What an excellent benefit for workforce development! 

Recently our Foundation elevated the program by allowing for transfer students and to receive liberal considerations for prior learning and/or possibly work experience/training. All of that to mean, an applicant could be attending a community college or received an associate degree but has no other higher education options to complete a bachelor's degree in one of these five fields of study without leaving home.

What Is Disability Pride Month?

Disability Pride Month is an annual observance in July that celebrates people with disabilities, commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and promotes disability culture and visibility.

Observed every July, Disability Pride Month recognizes the importance of the ADA, which was signed into law on July 26, 1990. It highlights disability culture, history, and community pride. This month challenges the harmful idea that people with disabilities need to conform to norms to live meaningful lives. Their lives are just as full, valuable, and worthy of respect—no more, no less.

The first Disability Pride celebration was a Disability Pride Day that took place in Boston in 1990. Chicago hosted the first Disability Pride Parade in 2004. Now there are events nationwide empowering people with disabilities to take pride in who they are.

Summer Training and Employment Program (STEP)

The SBCWDB currently offers the Summer Training and Employment Program (STEP) through Goodwill Industries. The program serves youth ages 16-21 and provides Paid Work Experience Opportunities along with job readiness training opportunities for students with disabilities. The program term for this program will go until 12/31/2026.

FACES OF WORKFORCE | STEP

Jesus L. is a 21-year-old STEP participant out of our Santa Maria Office. Jesus struggles with epilepsy, as well as his physical and mental health. When Jesus enrolled into the STEP Program, he was very anxious and unsure if he would be able to get a job. With lots of hard work, we were able to teach Jesus job readiness skills such as confidence, and interview skills. Jesus attended an interview with MOVE SB County and was offered the opportunity to complete work experience. Jesus has been working with MOVE SB County to learn how to service and repair bicycles and provide excellent customer service to all individuals he interacts with. Jesus is a great example of perseverance and adaptability despite the challenges he faces. 

Disability Independence Day | July 26

This month commemorates the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. 

It is a time to celebrate the achievements, contributions, and diversity of individuals with disabilities, as well as to advocate for equality and inclusion. 

Enjoy live music, food, games, raffles, and more! Together, we’ll celebrate progress and build community. All are welcome!

Building Stronger Teams Through Inclusivity

Article provided by Jake Lowry, Momentum WORK, Inc.

Momentum WORK, Inc. partners with businesses to meet workforce needs while promoting inclusive hiring. We provide trained, job-ready individuals with disabilities for roles in food service, hospitality, janitorial, clerical work, and much more. Through programs like the Paid Internship Program, Adult/Student Work Experience, and Mo’s To-Go, our in-house catering company, participants gain real-world experience that aligns with industry standards. Employers not only gain reliable staff, but may also qualify for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)—making partnership with us both impactful and strategic.

For more information, contact info@momentum4work.org.