Groups Vow Support to Prepare Students for Work Force : Employment: Armed with an $85,000 study of Santa Ana business, school and business leaders say they will try to give high school graduates a better chance for success.

City business leaders and school officials on Thursday pledged to work together to better prepare local students for the work force.

Armed with the results of a major yearlong study of Santa Ana business, the groups said they plan to work toward implementing programs and curriculum changes that will increase a student’s chances for success after high school.

“This is just one step in a long march toward achieving the goals we have in mind,” said Michael Metzler, president of the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce. “We want every student to obtain the minimum level of skills by the age of 16 that will enable them to survive in this society. If we don’t do that, we will be relegated to a Third World economy.”

Findings of “Workforce 2000,” an $85,000 study funded by the Chamber of Commerce and the Santa Ana Private Industry Council, were presented at a press conference Thursday at McFadden Intermediate School.

The two-phase study was conducted by the Social Science Research Center at Cal State Fullerton and was done with the cooperation of the Santa Ana Unified School District.

The first phase of the study involved face-to-face interviews with 60 business people in Santa Ana who were asked what kind of skills, personal characteristics and experience they seek in new employees.

Participants said they are looking for good reading, writing and math skills, the ability to work well with the public, good communication, computer and clerical skills and the ability to follow directions, the report said.

“Participants in the study were also very concerned with attitude, work ethic and responsibility,” said Richard T. Serpe, who presented the findings.

The second phase of the study asked focus groups to come up with activities that schools could implement to help students develop the skills businesses are looking for.

Among the suggestions is the development of a reward system for students who are punctual, have good attendance records, complete assignments and take responsibility for their own performance.

Other suggestions included the development of an internship program, the development of more work-oriented courses, and a program that would give local business people the opportunity to visit classrooms and talk about their jobs.

“A young person’s experience with the working world is often limited to the experience of their parents,” Serpe said. “Being exposed to work environments as early as the fourth or fifth grade is important.”

District Supt. Rudy M. Castruita praised local business leaders for sponsoring the study, which he said has the support of the district’s Board of Education.

“This is a real collaboration,” Castruita said. “Many of these suggestions will make us a better school district and will really improve the work force in Santa Ana.”

Castruita said the suggestions made in the report are “realistic” and “affordable.”

“These are not the kinds of things that are going to cost the taxpayer money or are going to require money from Sacramento,” Serpe said. “What they require are open communication and collaboration from the business community.”