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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Bureau of Labor and Industries<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Commissioner Brad Avakian<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Press Release<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">For Immediate Distribution<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Year="2011" Day="23" Month="3">March 23, 2011</st1:date><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">CONTACT: Kate Newhall, 503-467-1665<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Revitalizing Career and Technical Education Becomes a Shared Priority in </B><st1:City><st1:place><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Salem</B></st1:place></st1:City><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> <o:p></o:p></B></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">House Education Committee takes up bipartisan legislation to strengthen our workforce <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></I></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><st1:City><st1:place>PORTLAND</st1:place></st1:City> – Bipartisan legislation to revitalize and enhance Career and Technical Education (<st1:stockticker>CTE</st1:stockticker>) in <st1:State><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s middle schools and high schools took center stage in <st1:City><st1:place>Salem</st1:place></st1:City> today.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A broad coalition of businesses, labor unions, trade associations, educators, and legislators from both parties came together to discuss the importance of <st1:stockticker>CTE</st1:stockticker> to Oregon’s economic future, and the House Education Committee held its first public hearing on the coalition’s bill (HB 3362).</FONT></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">“<st1:State><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s economic health is fundamentally linked to the availability of a skilled workforce,” said Bureau of Labor and Industries Commissioner Brad Avakian.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“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 <st1:State><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:State> employers are consistently demanding.”</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">HB 3362, which already has 59 co-sponsors in the Oregon Legislature, would jump-start the revitalization of <st1:stockticker>CTE</st1:stockticker> in Oregon’s middle schools and high schools by: (1) establishing a grant program to fund the restoration and expansion of <st1:stockticker>CTE</st1:stockticker> classes, (2) facilitating the formation of future skill centers and <st1:stockticker>CTE</st1:stockticker>-focused charters, (3) requiring inter-agency coordination on <st1:stockticker>CTE</st1:stockticker> issues, and (4) fostering <st1:stockticker>CTE</st1:stockticker> partnerships between public schools, community colleges, universities, businesses and unions.</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">“This bill is bringing Oregonians together across party lines because it will achieve goals we all share,” said Representative Sal Esquivel (R-Medford).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“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 <st1:State><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>.”</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">HB 3362<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>will also help <st1:State><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s long-term budget outlook.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The State of <st1:State><st1:place>Washington</st1:place></st1:State> reports that every dollar invested in secondary <st1:stockticker>CTE</st1:stockticker> programs earns the state $7.10 in revenue.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">“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).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“In short, this bill is a win for <st1:State><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s students, a win for <st1:State><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s businesses, and a win for <st1:State><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s economy.”</FONT></P>
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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoFooter align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">The mission of the Bureau of Labor and Industries is to protect employment rights,<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></P>
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