Local Businesses and Job Seekers Connect at Santa Maria Expo

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) - The Santa Maria Valley Chamber, along with the Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board, held its annual Business Expo and Job Fair at the Santa Maria Fairpark on Thursday.

The event was being held in the Fairpark's Convention Center from 11 am to 2 pm. and included dozens of area businesses, schools, government agencies and other local organizations.

"We've got over 60 local businesses here with us," said Molly Alves, Santa Maria Valley Chamber Vice President of Operations. "Quite a few of them are hiring. And so we have a number of job seekers coming through looking for employment."

The expo provided local businesses and companies an opportunity to interact with community members and job seekers, as well as network and connect with other area businesses.

"Businesses have told us that they really appreciate talking with people one-to-one when they're looking for their new employees and they're looking to hire," said Alves. "Businesses really appreciate having that personal in person connection. This business fair and job expo gives o ur local community members to meet face-to-face and it gives businesses an opportunity to meet their potential next hires in a more kind of personal direct setting."

With a theme this year of "Business in Bloom," the expo featured dozens of local businesses, who had either owners or other representatives on hand throughout the three-hour free event.

The Chamber said this year's theme represents renewal, growth, and the blossoming of opportunities across the Santa Maria Valley.

"The Business in Bloom theme really represents not only the springtime, but just the business environment," said Alves. "Here in our community, we see a number of businesses looking to hire. We see a number of new business opportunities coming to town and so I think it's an exciting time of of growth and reimagining."

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