$12.5 million investment in local community college training initiatives
Investments in community colleges in: Centralia, Tacoma, Everett, Shoreline, South Seattle, Renton, Auburn, Walla Walla, Lakewood
Murray Applauds “Strong Investment” in students, businesses, economy
Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) applauded the announcement by the U.S Department of Labor that Washington state community colleges will receive nearly $12.5 million in the latest round of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) initiative. These investments will help expand the capacity of Washington state community colleges to provide innovative training programs in partnership with local employers
“When community colleges have the resources they need to partner with local employers and train their students to fill local jobs, the whole community reaps the benefits,” said Senator Patty Murray. “This is a strong investment that will help more Washington state students earn a ticket to the middle class through training programs that are directly connected to local businesses and growing local industries.”
“Centralia College is pleased and proud to be a recipient of the TAACCCT round four grant led by Washington’s Centers of Excellence for Clean Energy, Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing, and Construction,” said Barbara Hins-Turner, Executive Director of the Center of Excellence for Clean Energy (A Centralia College Partnership and WISE lead). “The Washington Integrated Sector Employment (WISE) project represents a statewide collaboration that will serve 1,992 adults and includes eight community and technical colleges, five workforce investment boards, the state’s TAA coordinating agency, the Washington State Labor Council and more than a dozen major employers.”
The Washington state investments are among $450 million in grants to community colleges around the country in the final round of the four-year, nearly $2 billion Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training initiative. During the four years of this competition more than 250 grants have been awarded funding programs at 1,060 colleges.
The funding was included in the 2010 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act, which Senator Murray voted for. It will build on the stronger workforce system and local workforce boards that Murray fought for in her bipartisan workforce investment bill that was signed into law in July of this year. Senator Murray wrote letters of support to the Department of Labor urging them to strongly consider these Washington state grant applications.
Washington state investments
Washington Integrated Sector Employment (WISE)
$9,994,854.00
This grant was awarded to a consortium including:
Centralia College: $1,848,384
Bates Technical College: $1,138,642
Everett Community College: $1,415,776
Shoreline Community College: $1,223,141
South Seattle College: $687,664
Renton Technical College: $1,267,165
Green River Community College: $1,193,417
Walla Walla Community College: $1,220,667
The nearly $10 million project, entitled Washington Integrated Sector Employment (WISE), is a statewide initiative that will reach 1,992 adults including veterans. WISE brings together the clean energy, construction, and advanced manufacturing sectors to create a cluster that will prepare participants for employment in entry level, pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship occupations. It will address the unique needs of unemployed, or under-employed dislocated workers, using innovative and sophisticated strategies. WISE will be led by three Centers of Excellence (Clean Energy, Construction and Aerospace Advance Manufacturing) and includes eight community and technical colleges, five workforce investment boards, the state’s TAA coordinating agency, the Washington State Labor Council and a dozen major employers.
Clover Park Technical College, Lakewood
$2,499,973.00
The Connecting Competencies to Employers (C2E) project will develop a core pathway into advanced manufacturing and industrial technology careers that can branch off into specialized areas that align with current and future industry demand. The core pathway (Mechatronics Technician) will provide a basis to integrate learning outcomes from adjacent advanced manufacturing careers paths like Material Science and Manufacturing Technologies to create specialized certificates to fill projected employment gaps in high-wage high-demand careers. Target recipients will be Trade Adjustment Act impacted workers in Western Washington, concentrated in Pierce and adjacent counties, long-term unemployed, incumbent workers, and veterans/transitioning military.
Background on TAACCCT (from the Department of Labor):
TAACCCT provides community colleges and other eligible institutions of higher education with funds to expand and improve their ability to deliver education and career training programs that can be completed in two years or less, are suited for workers who are eligible for training under the TAA for Workers program, and prepare program participants for employment in high-wage, high-skill occupations. Through these multi-year grants, the Department of Labor is helping to ensure that our nation’s institutions of higher education are helping adults succeed in acquiring the skills, degrees, and credentials needed for high-wage, high-skill employment while also meeting the needs of employers for skilled workers. The Department is implementing the TAACCCT program in partnership with the Department of Education.
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