02.12.10

Cantwell: Federal Grant Will Train and Provide Jobs for 900 Washingtonians

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell hailed the Department of Labor’s (DOL) announcement of a $5 million grant for the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board in Olympia.  This funding will be used specifically for Allied Health and Long-Term Care job training programs.  Allied health professionals are those who work with health care teams to make the industry function, such as radiologic technologists, laboratory technicians, and anesthesiologist assistants.  The grant will train at least 550 entry-level workers to move into high demand healthcare careers, and create at least 350 new entry-level jobs.

 

“Our nation's health care industry has a strong potential for job growth in the next few years due to our growing population and integration of new technologies,” said Cantwell. “It is crucial that we prepare for the future by supporting the best possible training for health care professionals today.  I applaud the Labor Department for recognizing Washington state’s leadership in training the health care workers of tomorrow.”

 

This project will leverage existing partnerships to create a health care network focused on acute and ambulatory care that will lead to upward mobility for entry-level, low wage workers and create a continuous ladder for career advancement that leads to family-sustaining wages in highly skilled positions.

 

This grant is part of more than $225 million in DOL grants that will train 15,000 workers in fields such as nursing, information technology, and pharmacy technology.

 

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