05.23.02

Cantwell Expands Job Training Programs in State

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell today announced that access to job retraining programs in Washington state is set to expand by up to 25% under an agreement forged between her and job training leaders that is due to be finalized today. Cantwell's plan is made possible by a 200% increase in job training funds made available to the state under the federal Workforce Investment Act triggered by the state's high unemployment rate.

"We are faced with a tidal wave of need, but have only been able to deliver a trickle of supply," Cantwell said. "Today's announcement means that by late summer, more people will have access to the training opportunities they need to get higher-paying, better jobs."

Under Cantwell's plan, up to 4,000 new workers who have lost their jobs, including 1,000 in King County, will receive job training services. The agency responsible for implementing federal job training programs, the Washington state Employment Security Department, is expected today to release a final version of a technical assistance response to workforce boards who have worked with Cantwell on drafting the plan. Cantwell's plan began to take shape this spring and was originally signed by worker retraining and community college leaders in April.

The $46 million increase in Workforce Investment Act funds is the largest in state history. Typically, the funds are used to subsidize tuition for pre-existing capacity in worker retraining programs in the state's community and technical college system. However, the state's capacity is currently full. According to a report issued by Cantwell in March, there are only 12,500 slots which serve about 15,000 workers in the state's system. But there are over 110,000 dislocated workers, at least 40,000 of whom are actively seeking training.

Cantwell's plan addresses this gap with an innovative plan to use the new WIA funds to fund tuition and increase capacity. It calls for using "enhanced" Individual Training Account vouchers, which pay community colleges more than the basic state subsidized rate, thus allowing them to hire additional teachers when they are over capacity. It also calls individual workforce boards to contract with community colleges to expand training access.

Workers will be able to take advantage of the program as early as July when the WIA funds will increase. Full programs are expected to begin by fall semester. Shoreline Community College, Seattle Central Community College, Tacoma Community College, and Clark College are among the institutions that will take advantage of the plan.

Programs delivered via the plan's enhanced vouchers will be targeted to specific market opportunities, whereas the basic programs are broader in scope. As a result of the plan, classes will be added within the health care field for medical imaging technologists, registered nurses, radiation technologists and surgical technicians. Other emerging fields targeted for expansion include electronics, biotechnology, information technology, and telecommunications technology.

"Senator Maria Cantwell's focus on the use of Workforce Investment Act funds has jump-started these local efforts," Tim Probst, Executive Director of Workforce Development Executives of Washington state. "Our state and its dislocated workers are benefiting from all new efforts by local workforce councils and Community Colleges to get people off the waiting list and into retraining programs."

Fighting to improve Washington state's economy has been a signature issue for Cantwell. In March, she kicked off a statewide tour focusing on workforce investment issues with Governor Gary Locke. Governor Locke made sure to increase state capacity for job training in the recently passed budget. She issued a report detailing the training gap in Washington state and unveiled legislation designed to expand access and improve effectiveness to workforce training programs. She also announced that she had won the support of a majority of Senators to roll back President Bush's proposed $800 million cut in WIA funds.