Workforce Innovations

Business Resources

Small Business Development Center Opens Satellite Office

On Tuesday, July 18, from 2–3 p.m., the Silicon Valley Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will conduct a ribbon-cutting event at the CONNECT! Job Seeker Center in Sunnyvale to publicize its new “mini-office.” The event will highlight SBDC services, as well as other business services available through the CONNECT! one-stop collaborative.

SBDC assists entrepreneurs who want to start or expand their business. Staff will work with individuals to help clarify business goals, develop business plans, and create financial strategies for business growth. Counseling services can cover strategic planning, capital formation assistance, management, operations, marketing, and more.

San José-based SBDC expects to better serve small business owners in northern Santa Clara County through the new satellite office. SBDC staff will be available to meet with small business representatives at the center on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1–5 p.m. Individuals interested in services are encouraged to call SBDC for an appointment at (408) 494-0240.

Training Assistance through Employment Training Panel (ETP)

Well-trained, skilled employees are key to maintaining a successful and competitive business. More than ever, success is measured by a company’s ability to remain cutting edge, requiring an ongoing investment in worker training. Many companies, however, both large and small, hesitate to create opportunities to pursue employee training, often believing that these costs will negatively impact the “bottom line.” To help alleviate this financial burden, the State of California's Employment Training Panel (ETP) can provide financial assistance to support this necessary, long-term investment.

Legislated in 1983, ETP offers performance-based contracts to approved companies that have paid into the Employment Training Tax program. These contracts provide financial assistance to train the company’s workers at their respective worksites through either outside vendors, onsite staff, or a combination of the two. Training opportunities are diverse and range from high-tech manufacturing techniques to patient-focused nursing skills, all of which increase the ability of California workers to remain globally competitive.

To date, ETP has paid roughly $1 billion in training contracts and paid for the training of over 650,000 workers at more than 65,000 companies within California. This year alone, ETP has funded approximately $85 million in training contracts and anticipates funding as much as $100 million in 2007.

For more information about ETP and the process for applying for these funds, please contact Charles Lundberg, ETP economic development director, at (916) 327-5261 or at clundberg@etp.ca.gov. You may also visit the ETP Web site at www.etp.ca.gov.

NOVA’s Workforce Review

The Workforce Review is a two-page fact sheet featuring data on labor force trends, including regional unemployment rate and change, specific labor force data for NOVA’s consortium of cities, and workforce reductions in the NOVA area.