What Chambers Are Doing Around the West

Vista Chamber Launches Successful Velocity Internship Program

Thanks to funding from a grant from the city, the Vista (CA) Chamber was able to launch its first-ever Velocity Summer Internship Program.

This paid internship program encourages career exploration for local students while also providing additional employees to the local workforce. The summer program covered 100 hours of paid internship from mid-June through early August. They were able to match 45 students with 25 local businesses and non-profits.

The response from both businesses and students was overwhelmingly positive, resulting in several job and continued mentoring opportunities. The chamber is excited as they continue to grow the program and plan for the next year. This program is just one of many reinforcing their position as a champion for a stronger community.

To find out more, visit www.vistachamber.org/velocity-summer-internship-program.

Tucson Chamber Provides Candidate Evaluation to Keep Members Informed

The Tucson (AZ) Metro Chamber’s Candidate Evaluation Committee conducted interviews with candidates running for the Arizona Legislature with a focus on showcasing candidates that not only understand the needs of business but will also work to introduce and support legislation and policies that address and solve challenges businesses face.

The committee also sent out surveys to all legislative candidates. They then took that information and put it into two easily digestible formats to keep their members and community informed:

• A playlist on Spotify where listeners can find all the interviews in one location, easily click “play” and then listen to the interview if that is how the listener prefers to consume information.

• A guide that shows the responses to each question and also provides a score rating the candidates on criteria such as knowledge of office, leadership ability, and willingness to collaborate. To view the full list of rating criteria and the guide, click here.

This is a great example of chambers helping to get business-friendly candidates elected and the role we can play in that process. Great job Tucson!

Puyallup Sumner Launches Business Acumen Series

The Puyallup Sumner (WA) Chamber just launched a new Business Acumen Workshop Series.

The first three workshops will focus on Deliberately Developmental Organizations (DDO), a model developed by Harvard Business School faculty to help workplaces unlock the power of every employee.

The series will provide members with valuable tools to be deliberately developmental with their own and their employees’ personal development. The process will lead to the transformation of company culture and create a strategic planning environment that is integral to a successful organization.

To learn more about the series as well as the topic of DDOs, visit www.puyallupsumnerchamber.com/business-acumen.

Brea Chamber Addresses Workforce Equity Issues with Women Rising Leadership Academy

To respond to current business issues and challenges in their community, the Brea (CA) Chamber has partnered with the Cal State Fullerton College of Business and Economics to launch the Women Rising Leadership Academy business-essential program that not only addresses workforce equity issues but that drives business success.

The program, available at no cost to participants, is open to college-age women and women in the early stages of their careers. The academy includes workshops and coaching sessions that teach participants how to overcome the barriers to career advancement they are likely to face.

Want to know more? Visit www.breachamber.com/womenrisingleadershipacademy.

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Information featured each month in Around the West is taken from chamber newsletters and websites that W.A.C.E. receives from its members. We try to share best practices, innovative ideas and programs from chambers working hard to be Catalysts, Conveners and Champions and make a difference in their community. Make sure to subscribe W.A.C.E. to your mailing list, if you haven’t done so already, and you may be featured in a future Insider!

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