From kate.newhall at state.or.us Wed Mar 16 13:18:44 2011 From: kate.newhall at state.or.us (Kate Newhall) Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:18:44 -0700 Subject: NEWS RELEASE: BOLI Announces Round II of Highway Workforce Development Agreements Message-ID: <4D80B8B40200009B0003352D@mail.boli.state.or.us> Bureau of Labor and Industries Commissioner Brad Avakian Press Release For Immediate Distribution March 16, 2011 CONTACT: Kate Newhall, 503-467-1665 BOLI Announces Round II of Highway Workforce Development Agreements Key Training and Support Programs Will Help Reduce Barriers to Employment, Diversify the Highway Workforce, and Keep Oregonians on the Job PORTLAND ? Oregon?s Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) today announced two more agreements that will provide critical training and support for Oregon workers in the highway construction trades. The contracts, which were awarded to the Oregon and Southern Idaho Laborers-Employers Training Trust (OSILETT) and Portland Community College (PCC), represent the second round of agreements made pursuant to the BOLI-ODOT Heavy Highway Workforce Development Program. ?Our top priority is expanding job opportunities for Oregonians around the state, and that?s exactly what this program does,? said BOLI Commissioner Brad Avakian. ?Under the projects we?re announcing today, early training will be more accessible to women and people of color who are seeking careers in the highway construction industry, and key support will be available to help young apprentices overcome financial barriers to completing their training and qualifying for living-wage jobs.? Oregon Department of Transportation Director Matt Garrett emphasized the importance of the highway workforce development program to the state?s overall economic health: ?Our transportation infrastructure is critical to Oregon?s competitiveness in the global marketplace, and a highly qualified workforce strengthens that infrastructure, while broadening workforce skills.? Pursuant to their agreements with the state, OSILETT and PCC will provide a wide variety of services, including expanded educational opportunities for students interested in highway construction careers, guidance, and targeted training for aspiring apprentices. OSILETT will receive $172,870 to provide services across Oregon, and PCC will receive approximately $101,313 to provide services in the Portland/METRO region. The agreements announced today follow two contract awards unveiled last month: a $623,265 contract with Cooper Zeitz to provide training and support services statewide, and a $69,458 contract with Portland Youthbuilders focused on youth pre-apprenticeship services in the Portland/METRO region. BOLI expects to announce the final contract award under the Heavy Highway Workforce Development Program later this month. In all, the program provides up to $1 million for services that increase diversity in the highway construction workforce and help Oregonians gain and keep high-skill, living-wage jobs. ###### The mission of the Bureau of Labor and Industries is to protect employment rights, advance employment opportunities, and protect access to housing and public accommodations free from discrimination. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: News Release - BOLI Announces Round II of Highway Workforce Development Agreements.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 170445 bytes Desc: not available URL: From kate.newhall at state.or.us Tue Mar 22 14:08:25 2011 From: kate.newhall at state.or.us (Kate Newhall) Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:08:25 -0700 Subject: NEWS RELEASE: BOLI Awards Final Major Contract Under Highway Workforce Development Program Message-ID: <4D88AD59.2163.009B.0@boli.state.or.us> Bureau of Labor and Industries Commissioner Brad Avakian Press Release For Immediate Distribution March 22, 2011 CONTACT: Kate Newhall, 503-467-1665 BOLI Awards Final Major Contract Under Highway Workforce Development Program Agreement with ACEAcademyrounds out comprehensive effort to remove barriers to employment, to diversify the workforce, and to keep Oregonians on the job PORTLAND ? Oregon?s Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) today announced that it has awarded the Academy for Architecture, Construction & Engineering (ACE Academy) the final major contract under the 2011 BOLI-ODOT Heavy Highway Workforce Development Program. This statewide program will provide $1 million to support services that increase diversity in the highway construction workforce and help Oregonians gain and keep high-skill, living-wage jobs. ?Nothing is more important to Oregon?s economy than expanding job opportunities for Oregon?s workers, and that?s what this program is all about,? said BOLI Commissioner Brad Avakian. ?I?m particularly excited about our efforts to provide students with early training in the highway trades, and our partnership with ACE will focus on knocking down barriers that have traditionally stood in the way of young women pursuing careers in the construction industry.? Pursuant to its agreement with the state, ACE Academy will receive $19,974 to provide students with two in-depth orientations to highway construction careers, one this month, and one in June. Participating students will receive one-on-one tutoring, career mentoring, and hands-on training with construction repair projects. Previous agreements announced under the BOLI-ODOT program include: a $633,265 contract with Cooper Zeitz to provide training and support services statewide; a $172,870 contract with the Oregon and Southern Idaho Laborers-Employers Training Trust to provide training and support services statewide; a $101,313 contract with Portland Community College to provide training and support in the Portland/METRO region; and a $69,458 contract with Portland Youthbuilders focused on youth pre-apprenticeship services in the Portland/METRO region. ?Each of these contracts will play an important role in helping us develop a highly qualified construction workforce for the future,? said Oregon Department of Transportation Director Matt Garrett. ?This program will open doors for Oregon workers, and it is a key part of our commitment to strengthen our transportation infrastructure and reinforce our economic foundation.? ###### The mission of the Bureau of Labor and Industries is to protect employment rights, advance employment opportunities, and protect access to housing and public accommodations free from discrimination. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 3.22.11 News Release - BOLI Awards Final Major Contract Under Highway Workforce Development Program.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 93421 bytes Desc: not available URL: From kate.newhall at state.or.us Wed Mar 23 13:46:55 2011 From: kate.newhall at state.or.us (Kate Newhall) Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:46:55 -0700 Subject: NEWS RELEASE: Revitalizing Career and Technical Education Becomes a Shared Priority in Salem Message-ID: <4D89F9CE.2163.009B.0@boli.state.or.us> Bureau of Labor and Industries Commissioner Brad Avakian Press Release For Immediate Distribution March 23, 2011 CONTACT: Kate Newhall, 503-467-1665 Revitalizing Career and Technical Education Becomes a Shared Priority in Salem House Education Committee takes up bipartisan legislation to strengthen our workforce PORTLAND ? Bipartisan legislation to revitalize and enhance Career and Technical Education (CTE) in Oregon?s middle schools and high schools took center stage in Salem today. A broad coalition of businesses, labor unions, trade associations, educators, and legislators from both parties came together to discuss the importance of CTE to Oregon?s economic future, and the House Education Committee held its first public hearing on the coalition?s bill (HB 3362). ?Oregon?s economic health is fundamentally linked to the availability of a skilled workforce,? said Bureau of Labor and Industries Commissioner Brad Avakian. ?One of the best ways to strengthen our workforce is to revitalize Career and Technical Education programs so students can develop the practical skills that Oregon employers are consistently demanding.? HB 3362, which already has 59 co-sponsors in the Oregon Legislature, would jump-start the revitalization of CTE in Oregon?s middle schools and high schools by: (1) establishing a grant program to fund the restoration and expansion of CTE classes, (2) facilitating the formation of future skill centers and CTE-focused charters, (3) requiring inter-agency coordination on CTE issues, and (4) fostering CTE partnerships between public schools, community colleges, universities, businesses and unions. ?This bill is bringing Oregonians together across party lines because it will achieve goals we all share,? said Representative Sal Esquivel (R-Medford). ?It will equip our students to compete for high-wage jobs in high-growth industries, and it will provide our businesses with the highly skilled workers they need to continue or expand their operations here in Oregon.? HB 3362 will also help Oregon?s long-term budget outlook. The State of Washington reports that every dollar invested in secondary CTE programs earns the state $7.10 in revenue. ?Investing in Career and Technical Education today will pay big dividends in the future by keeping more homegrown businesses in Oregon, attracting new businesses to the state, and creating more good jobs for our workers ? all of which helps our state?s bottom line,? said Representative Michael Dembrow (D-Portland). ?In short, this bill is a win for Oregon?s students, a win for Oregon?s businesses, and a win for Oregon?s economy.? ###### The mission of the Bureau of Labor and Industries is to protect employment rights, advance employment opportunities, and protect access to housing and public accommodations free from discrimination. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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