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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">April 1, 2011<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><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Career Education Bill Wins Unanimous Approval in Key Committee <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></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">Bipartisan legislation to strengthen our workforce moves forward in Salem <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"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City><st1:place>SALEM</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 won unanimous approval in the House Education Committee today.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The vote comes just one week after a broad coalition of businesses, labor unions, trade associations, educators, and elected leaders came together in the State Capitol to emphasize the importance of <st1:stockticker>CTE</st1:stockticker> to <st1:State><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s economic future.</FONT></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">“The best way to expand economic opportunity tomorrow is to expand educational opportunity today,” said Bureau of Labor and Industries Commissioner Brad Avakian.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“Restoring practical career education in our schools will help prepare more <st1:State><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:State> students for living-wage jobs while ensuring more <st1:State><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:State> businesses have the highly skilled workers they need to succeed.”</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">“<st1:State><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s labor movement has long been committed to providing early training opportunities for the next generation of <st1:State><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:State> workers,” said John Mohlis, Executive Secretary of the <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Oregon</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>State</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceType>Building</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> and Construction Trades Council.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“This bill will help us expand those efforts in partnership with the business community and our schools, enabling us to equip more students with the tools they need to earn high-wage jobs.”</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Restoring <st1:stockticker>CTE</st1:stockticker> classes will help address labor shortages and skill gaps in several industries – such as health care, manufacturing, construction, renewable energy, and high-tech services – and an enhanced <st1:stockticker>CTE</st1:stockticker> system will present students with options ranging from traditional shop classes to cutting-edge training in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (<st1:stockticker>STEM</st1:stockticker>) fields.<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">“<st1:State><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s business community is uniquely positioned to help <st1:State><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s schools figure out how to target career training so it matches up with our greatest workforce needs,” said Frank Wall, Executive Director of the Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“This legislation gives us the opportunity to rebuild our career and technical education programs in a way that maximizes the benefit for both employers and employees and provide a brighter future for our students.”</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">The <st1:stockticker>CTE</st1:stockticker> bill now moves to the <st1:Street><st1:address>Joint Ways</st1:address></st1:Street> and Means Committee, where it is being championed by Vice-Chair Senator Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“The long-term health of our economy depends on a strong workforce, and revitalizing vocational training is essential to that goal.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I look forward to taking up this bill in the Ways and Means Committee, and I am committed to getting it to the Governor for his signature.”</FONT></P>
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