$2 million awarded to train 600 in advanced manufacturing

On December 11, 2006, the US Department of Labor awarded $2 million to Everett Community College to provide training to 600 students in advanced manufacturing fields. Half of the grant funds will be used to build capacity of Snohomish County training programs in advanced manufacturing fields, and half of the funds will be spent to train the 600 students. Training programs will include industry-led specialty certificates, an Applied Technology Associate (ATA) degree, and an Associate of Applied Science-Transfer (AST) degree among others.

While Everett Community College is the grant recipient, this initiative, entitled TRIAD II: Advanced Manufacturing, was created through a partnership of organizations, including the Snohomish County Workforce Development Council (WDC), Edmonds Community College, Aerospace Futures Alliance, Pacific Coast Marine, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 751, the Boeing Company, the Economic Development Council of Snohomish County, the Sno-Isle Skills Center, and the Snohomish and Monroe school districts.

Everett Community College was one of 72 community college-led partnerships to be awarded a grant under the second round of President's Community-Based Job Training Grants initiative. A total of 429 entries were submitted in response to a competition announced July 3, and a total of $125 million dollars was granted nationwide.

“Community colleges are vital partners in educating and preparing workers for good jobs in their local area,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “The $125 million these 72 community college partnerships will receive under the President's Community-Based Job Training Initiative is going to help workers succeed in careers in health care, advanced manufacturing and other growing industries.”

Introduced by President Bush in his 2004 State of the Union Address, the primary purpose of Community-Based Job Training Grants is to build community colleges' capacity to equip workers with the skills growing local industries require for success. The first round of these competitive awards was made to 70 successful entities on Oct. 19, 2005.

“Today's awards recall the imperative that businesses and the workforce system team up with their region's community colleges to ensure that workers are armed with the right skills to thrive in the 21st century economy,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco. “Community colleges are closely tied to the areas they serve, and they have proven themselves adept at responding to the regional workforce demands of numerous industries.”