Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, applauded the announcement today that a group of Washington community colleges, including Everett Community College, will receive nearly $10 million from the U.S. Department of Labor to support job training in the manufacturing, energy and construction industries. The grant is the final round of the four-year federal Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training initiative. Washington's Centers of Excellence for Clean Energy, Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing, and Construction are leading the grant initiative.

“Equipping workers with the right skills to compete in the aerospace and manufacturing sectors is a triple win for workers, businesses, and the local economy. Some of this funding will support Everett Community College’s new Advanced Manufacturing Training and Education Center, which I was able to visit in May and officially opens this week. The center will house several advance manufacturing programs such as welding and precision machining. The new grant will support equipment for the center, as well as efforts to better align training to make sure students are well-prepared for today’s manufacturing jobs.

“One of my top priorities is to invest in the foundation of long-term economic growth that creates jobs and opportunity in the Pacific Northwest. This federal investment helps accomplish that goal by partnering community colleges with local employers to make sure students get the best training to succeed in the job market,” Larsen said.

More information about the federal grant is available here, and more information about Everett Community College’s award is available here.

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