Last year, San Luis Obispo County created a Workforce Development Board to serve small businesses countywide. The Atascadero Chamber of Commerce now oversees this Workforce Development Program.
Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Josh Cross explained how the program works.
“We work with our San Luis Obispo County and Workforce Development Board to offer workforce development services across San Luis Obispo County by hiring full-time staff to visit businesses and have one-on-one conversations about their challenges and offer solutions,” Cross said.
Those staff members, Erik Nappi and Kim Wybenga, provide one-on-one support to about 50 businesses total, each week. They offer suggestions about grant opportunities, HR resources, employee retention and more.
“A lot of businesses are needing that support, that support network that comes with being connected to the chamber, whether they're chamber members or they're not," Wybenga said. "And then we just start building a rapport, just really letting them know that there's someone in the community that is partnering with them."
Erik Nappi said simply offering a supportive ear can be helpful for small business owners.
“Sometimes they don't have that person to listen to or a business partner to bounce ideas off," Nappi said. "So I'm just there listening to them and bringing these resources ... to light in front of them.”
Manager at Zio Brand Swiss Butchery, John Sartori, said business has been slow to start during their first year in Paso Robles after expanding from their Salinas location. He hopes the Workforce Development Program can offer support with growing the store’s presence in North San Luis Obispo County.
“I think that those tools will help us in the future because we are new. We've only been here a little over a year, so hopefully that really helps us out,” Sartori said.
You can learn more about the workforce development initiative and other offerings on the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce website.
