CEOS TO PLOT ECONOMIC FUTURE EXECUTIVES TO GATHER, ASSESS COMING NEEDS.

Byline: Sharon Cotal Staff Writer

VALENCIA - Hoping to get a glimpse into the minds of local business leaders and learn their thoughts on future work force training needs, the Valencia Industrial Association has scheduled its third ``CEO Forum for the Future'' for March 14.

Organizers of the 2002 forum are eager to learn what priorities will emerge as chief executives look into the future, anticipating the work force needs of the Santa Clarita Valley and discussing the best way to attract and retain skilled workers.

``We will be asking the executives what we need to do to keep our businesses competitive in work force development, and based on the discussion of the CEOs in attendance, we hope to come up with some workable solutions to help improve the local business community,'' said Dan Goetz, chairman of the VIA's education committee.

The forums are held every few years as needed, and are scheduled by the VIA whenever changing trends are occurring in the business community. Past forums were held in 1995 and 1999.

CEOs at the first forum expressed a need for more training of the local work force if local companies were to be successful in diversifying from defense to commercial manufacturing and expanding to new markets.

As a result, the VIA and College of the Canyons created the Employment Training Panel project, which has since provided nearly $1 million in training funds and trained more than 1,500 workers in the past seven years.

In 1999, business leaders and educators focused on the key skills for success in the rapidly changing economy, identifying communication, problem-solving and team skills as areas that need to be developed in the potential work force.

In response, VIA developed the Valencia Industrial Association Web Site Contest, an annual competition in which students in kindergarten through 12th grade work in teams to develop Web sites for local businesses.

More than 200 students from 25 schools have participated in the contest, with support from 45 local businesses. Winning teams earn computer labs for their host schools, upgraded by students from College of the Canyons, and over the past two years, nearly 300 computers have been awarded as part of the contest.

``I don't know what the results will be for the third forum, but once again we will tap into the minds of our business leaders to find out what is important to them in regards to their employees,'' Goetz said. ``Then the committee will decide how best to address the needs expressed during the discussion.''

The 2002 forum will be held from 7:30 to 9 a.m. March 14 at the Hyatt Valencia, 24500 Town Center Drive, Valencia. For information, or to take part in the discussion, call Kathy Norris, VIA executive director, at [phone].