(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) yesterday announced that she has included $150,000 for training electrical workers in Northwest Washington. The funding will go toward the Northwest Washington Electrical Industry Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) in Mount Vernon. Senator Murray included the funding in the Labor, Health, Human Services and Education (LHHS) Appropriations bill – the annual spending bill that funds labor priorities. Senator Murray is a senior member of the LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee.
"Rapid growth in Northwest Washington means that the demand for skilled electricians is on the rise," said Senator Murray. "I am pleased to have been able to add this funding that will help build the local economy, expand our skilled workforce, and create more family wage jobs in our state."
Due to the growth in Northwest Washington and an aging electrician population, the need for new electricians is high and the JATC is struggling to expand its training capabilities rapidly enough to meet needs of the region. This funding would enable the JATC to enhance and expand its training capability by assisting it in acquiring various types of classroom and laboratory training equipment and providing additional technical training for its instructors.
The JATC is jointly sponsored by Local Union No. 191 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Cascade Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association and is responsible for the training of apprentice and journey-level electricians in nine counties in Northwest Washington.
The funding Senator Murray secured for the program passed the full Appropriations Committee yesterday and next will be voted on by the full Senate.
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