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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Organizations Promote Links Between Business, Education

BEST BUSINESS EDUCATION PROGRAMS Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley The way Kenn Phillips sees it, education is the magic bullet for businesses that want to get ahead. As director of education and workforce investment for the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley, Phillips helps put together dozens of seminars, workshops and partnerships every year that help businesses and educators both get ahead. “Businesses are hoping to get outstanding individuals from higher learning,” he said. The nonprofit economic development and marketing corporation for years has been working to link businesses in San Fernando, Calabasas, Glendale, Burbank and Los Angeles communities in the Valley with colleges and other education programs. That’s done through events like the Southern California International Trade Conference, designed to give small- to medium-size businesses access to international trade experts and educational summits that bring in community and education leaders to talk about models for successful business-to-education programs. The Alliance is also behind several training programs at Mission, Valley and Pierce community colleges offered to businesses. There are also the grassroots programs, from honoring students, teachers and educational leaders at luncheons to holding seminars on financial learning for 350 parents. Phillips said the idea is to help people through education. It’s the only program of its type in the region. “We’re unique in that experience,” he said. Chris Coates Valley Industrial Association You don’t need a business degree to figure out that most kids don’t have a clue about economics, said Julie Weith, education chair for Valley Industrial Association of Santa Clarita. So in response, for the past few years the Valencia nonprofit has been holding “Connecting to Success,” a summit of 100 local business volunteers who lead high school juniors through myriad exercises and discussion groups on the merits of business, economics and finances. “The idea is to help them enter the workforce in the community,” said Weith, whose day job is head of human resources for Valencia-based Ultra Violet Devices Inc. The mission is to spur young adults to grow into business leaders, she said. “Working local keeps people living local, which keeps them buying local,” Weith explained. “We’re trying to support our community.” The event lasts two days and includes a job fair and internship competition Last year, the focus was three topics: “Communicating Your Value,” “Ethics” and “Working in Teams.” Valley Industrial Association, which covers the Santa Clarita Valley region, also provides employee training through the College of the Canyon Employee Training Institute, said Dena Maloney, dean of the school’s economic development department. It also offers member seminars that link CEOs and business owners and acts as a lobbyist on regulatory and business issues. Chris Coates Junior Achievement Gary Hickman sure has a lot riding on educating our youth about business education. “It’s critical to our enrichment and it’s critical to our economy,” said Hickman, the president and CEO of the Southern California branch of Junior Achievement. Since 1919, Junior Achievement has been the country’s largest business education group for students, which last year totaled 3.1 million. Early on, students were taught how to start their own businesses and run it themselves, said Hickman, who has been involved with the organization for 31 years. These days, Junior Achievement emphasizes technology, free enterprise and the global economy. In the Valley, grade school kids are taught about their roles as workers, consumers and producers. Older students are offered economic courses that relate business principals to real-life situations; seminars on the modern workplace and the important of teamwork; and job shadow days, in which students are paired with a professional to learn what happens in the workplace. Junior Achievement has partnered with schools and other organizations and offered seminars. Hickman, whose office is based near Griffith Park, said it’s a challenge to teach all the diverse communities in the Valley. But telling young people about financial literacy, how to find a job and where to invest is key, he said. It remains the primary goal for the nonprofit. “The need is so bad,” he said. Chris Coates

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