TRADE AND TRANSPORTATION : Export Seminar Set:

Reacting to California’s loss of defense industry jobs, the U.S. Bureau of Export Administration’s western regional office in Newport Beach will set up seminars and workshops this year around the state to help steer companies into foreign trade.

“While the seminars have been designed with defense-related firms in mind, commercial, non-defense firms can also benefit,” said Commerce Secretary Ronald M. Brown in a statement.

The subjects being covered range from coping with industrial spying to how to tap into federal research and development contracts. Each workshop is four hours and ranges in cost from $25 to $85.

Sites include Los Angeles, San Diego and Riverside. Only one session, however, is scheduled in Orange County. That workshop is on federal, state and private sector financial assistance and is slated for Sept. 8 in Irvine.

Business people interested in more information on the program can call the regional office at (714) 660-1960.