OLYMPIA - Washington's State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
awarded $1,099,650 in workforce training grants to 10 members of the
Association of Washington Business, benefitting 1,194 trainees.
Washington's
Job Skills Program provides short-term training customized to meet
businesses' specific needs. Training is delivered to new or current
employees at the work site or in a classroom. As a dollar-for-dollar
matching grant program, up to 50 percent of training costs are covered
by Job Skills grants and businesses' contributions to training
activities made through cash and/or in-kind payments. Job skills
training is a critical tool for enhancing the growth of Washington's
economy and increasing its employment opportunities.
"The Job
Skills Program has been extremely valuable to employers in Washington
state," said AWB Institute Director Mike Hudson. "Every year the number
of employees trained in new skills increases. This has a direct impact
on Washington's ability to be competitive in a global marketplace."
The AWB members that received grants from the program are:
- Achilles USA (Everett)
- Alcoa Intalco (Ferndale)
- Aqua Quip (Renton)
- Batdorf & Bronson (Olympia)
- Haskins Steel 1A (Spokane)
- Honeywell-Redmond Guidance (Redmond)
- Honeywell (Renton)
- Kaiser Aluminum #2 (Spokane)
- Port Townsend Paper Company (Port Townsend)
- Trans-System (Spokane)
About the AWB Institute
Founded in 2001 as an affiliate of the Association of Washington Business, the AWB Institute focuses on an array of human resource and employment issues, including workforce development and education; workplace safety; environmental compliance; and competitiveness. The Institute advocates for public policy positions at the state and federal levels and develops best practices for Washington employers and members of AWB. The Institute also partners with the public sector employment and training system and public schools on partnerships to expose the current workforce, students and educators to the world of work.
