Solutions for Economic Development & Training! The staff at the Business Assistance Center at Cuesta College is committed to excellence and providing the very best service in assisting all industry sectors and community stakeholders with economic development and training. The Business Assistance Center at Cuesta College is able to integrate the program's services with existing college curricula and services to take advantage of the opportunities for synergy within the college. We collaborate, share resources, and partner with Chambers of Commerce, economic development organizations, One-Stop Career Centers, re-development agencies, small business development organizations, faculty, and organizations that represent and serve special emphasis groups. We take a leadership role in generating business expansion, creation, and retention by combining these resources. As training needs are identified, the Business Assistance Center at Cuesta College can deliver the training anywhere in San Luis Obispo County or on the Cuesta College campus.

The Primary Objectives Include: 

 · Conduct community research; create targeted special projects and services that address the unique needs of the region. To accomplish this, the Business Assistance Center at Cuesta College will collect and analyze community data and evaluate the economic needs of the region.

· Target existing business clients and/or industry sectors most likely to create economic impacts and retain jobs. These clients and/or industry sectors should also have the potential to achieve significant increases in sales investment, and to boost regional economic wealth. 

· Provide training solutions aimed at improving the management and stability of regional businesses to lead to increased number of new and retained jobs, sales, and investment.

· Develop a managed system of training that moves clients toward achieving significant economic impact in San Luis Obispo County. 

 · Disseminate up-to-date and relevant information to business clients needing to explore more detailed or specialized knowledge. This may include referral to other Cuesta College programs or departments and/or other organizations. 

 · Deliver the Young Entrepreneurs Program. The purpose of the Young Entrepreneurs Program is to replace misconceptions of vocational education and blue-collar jobs with increased awareness of and aspirations to self-employment as a legitimate lifetime career path providing reliable living wages. The project's target audience is youth and young adults, ideally, those enrolled in feeder high schools and/or the affiliated community college, with special emphasis on rural and minority populations. Supportive activities for the project must increase participant's business management skills, revitalize interest in career technical education and develop bridges to enable ease of movement between high schools and community colleges.

Overall Economic Goals

To advance California's economic growth and global competitiveness through high quality education and services focusing on business development, consistent with the current needs of the state's regional economies.
 
To maximize and leverage the resources of Cuesta College to fulfill its role as the primary provider in fulfilling the academic, vocational education and training needs of the San Luis Obispo County businesses and industry sectors.
 
To collaborate with other state and local agencies to deliver services that meet statewide and regional business development, technology transfer, and trade needs that attract, retain, and expand businesses. 

To develop, in consultation and collaboration with Cuesta College, local economic development agencies, the private sector, and community groups, innovative solutions, as needed, in identified strategic priority areas, including, but not necessarily limited to, advanced transportation, biotechnology, small business, applied competitive technologies, including computer integrated manufacturing, production and continuous quality improvement, business and workforce improvement, environmental technologies, health care delivery, agriculture, multimedia/entertainment and international trade. Strategic priority areas that may be explored if new or additional funding becomes available may include information technology, e-commerce and e-trade, and nanotechnology.
 
To identify, acquire, and leverage community college and other training resources when possible, to support local, regional, and statewide economic development.
 
To optimize access to Cuesta College's economic development services. 

To develop strategic public and private sector partnerships.