January 2, 2013
CSU Monterey Bay’s Small Business Development Center has received a grant to help Salinas attract and create jobs following the impending closure of one of the city’s major employers.
The Small Business Development Center was awarded a U.S. Small Business Administration Portable Assistance Grant, which provides assistance in communities suffering from a major disaster or economic trouble due to corporate downsizing, according to a statement by CSUMB. The $72,000 grant was one of 10 awarded nationally.
The grant comes in the wake of Salinas losing Capital One, which announced its departure in May 2012. The company will cut nearly 900 jobs by the time it closes in 2013, according to Weekly files.
Though the positions in Salinas will be eliminated, some people have been offered relocation opportunities at other sites, says Estelle Cimino, career center manager for Lee Hecht Harrison, a career transition company.
The Small Business Development Center will offer training and networking opportunities, giving businesses access to resources like wage subsidies and other training grants, CSUMB says.
It’s also working with the Workforce Investment Board’s Rapid Response Team to create jobs and facilitate hiring.
As part of the grant, SBDC will hire a special projects business advisor to implement a comprehensive strategy to “catalyze job growth in the small business community.”
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