(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) announced last week that she has added $125,000 to help establish the Puget Sound Regional Economic Development Council Initiative. The funding was added to the fiscal year 2008 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill which passed the full Appropriations Committee last Thursday (7/12). Senator Murray is a senior member of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee.
The Puget Sound Regional Economic Development Council Initiative will work in partnership with the Puget Sound Regional Council’s (PSRC) Prosperity Partnership to address the shortage of qualified workers in the IT, manufacturing, construction and professional and business service sectors. The stated goal of the Prosperity Partnership is to create 100,000 new jobs in the Puget Sound Region by 2010. The initiative will focus primarily on career fields in the Clean Technology and Trade and Logistics sectors of the Puget Sound economy.
"Washington state is the most trade dependent state in the nation," Murray stated. "The Puget Sound Regional Economic Development Council Initiative will help match job skills training with the needs of new emerging career paths in Puget Sound. This proposal will lead to quality jobs here at home, and I am proud to support it."
Kris Stadelman, CEO of the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County applauded Murray’s effort: "This funding gives us the opportunity to collaborate so that economic development and workforce development are both making the most strategic investments to grow and sustain the businesses and jobs that increase our competitiveness. We are grateful that the Senator understands the importance of investing in job skills and innovation and continues to support our work."
The initiative will employ four major strategies to increase communication, training and development in the fields of Clean Technology and Trade and Logistics. Those strategies are:
- Create a regional workforce investment collaborative to help match workforce development programs with the skill sets needed by emerging career fields.
- Capitalize on the region’s extensive research and development capacity to support new products, efficiencies and ventures.
- Expand opportunities for launching, sustaining and growing entrepreneurial ventures.
- Expand investments in education and job training in Clean Technology and Trade Logistics fields to motivate youth and adults to meet current and emerging industry demand.
- The Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill will now awaits consideration by the full Senate.
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