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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">For Immediate Distribution<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">June 17, 2011<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">CONTACT: Bob Estabrook, 503-709-0730<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none" class=MsoNormal align=center><A name=OLE_LINK1><B><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Avakian Scores Win on Restoring Career and Technical Education<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></A></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none" class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Legislators endorse funds, plan to expand CTE options in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place> public schools<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></I></SPAN></P><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"></SPAN>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><st1:City w:st="on"><B><SPAN style="COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">SALEM</SPAN></B></st1:City><B><SPAN style="COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"> – </SPAN></B><SPAN style="COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">The Oregon Legislature’s Ways and Means Subcommittee on Capital Construction today approved House Bill 3362B, State Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian’s priority legislation to reinvigorate career and technical education (CTE) in <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State> public schools.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Avakian, head of <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI), has spearheaded a diverse coalition of business interests, labor groups, education professionals and others to advocate for the popular proposal.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Approval by this committee paves the way for approval by the full legislature in coming days.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">“To regain our economic competitiveness, <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State> must ensure that every student has </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">access to high-quality CTE options that teach emerging or in-demand job skills<SPAN style="COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">,” </SPAN>Avakian said.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“21<SUP>st</SUP> century vocational education, setting sights on fields like green technology and health professions, will help prepare kids for living-wage jobs, but also show them the real-world application of the material they’re already learning in school.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">The revitalization plan, co-sponsored by 59 members of the Oregon Legislature, will jump-start CTE programs in Oregon’s middle and high schools by: (1) establishing a $2 million grant program to fund the restoration and expansion of CTE classes; (2) facilitating the formation of future skill centers and CTE-focused charters; and (3) promoting CTE partnerships between public schools, community colleges, universities, state agencies, local businesses and labor unions.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Passage of the bill does not end the coalition’s push on this issue—Avakian has laid out a 10-year vision for <SPAN style="COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">every <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State> student to have </SPAN>access to high-quality CTE options.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">“We’re making an important investment in <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s economy, here,” said Representative Michael Dembrow (D-Portland). “But we’re also investing in our kids. CTE programs have a proven track record of success, graduating well over 90% of their students. We're making clear that we want students all over the state to have the skills they need to access a good, living-wage job.”<SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s economic health is fundamentally linked to the availability of a skilled workforce.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>One of the best ways to strengthen our workforce is to revitalize CTE programs so students can develop the practical skills that employers are consistently demanding.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>With the anticipated growth in numerous high-skill industries in <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>, it is especially critical that CTE programs be enhanced to equip students to compete for high-wage jobs in these industries, like renewable energy and health care. </FONT></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">“This legislation makes the critical recognition that the skills that employers consistently demand for workers at all skill levels—problem-solving, creativity, analytical thinking, teamwork—can and should be taught before Oregon students leave high school,” said House Republican Leader Kevin Cameron (R-Salem).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">"In recent years there has been a lot of discussion about making this type of investment.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This bill is the first real step in making it happen and investing in our industry's future," said Mike Salsgiver, Executive Director of the Associated General Contractors. “This is a huge opportunity for our kids and our economy, and we’re proud to have been supporting the Commissioner’s grant program from the beginning." <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.5pt">CTE programs help fill the pipeline of workers that businesses need to continue or expand their operations.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Restoring and enhancing CTE classes will help address current labor shortages and skill gaps in several industries – </SPAN>such as health care, manufacturing, construction, and high tech services<SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.5pt"> – so <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State> can keep its homegrown businesses as well as attract new businesses to the state.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>HB 3362B also calls on the state to foster CTE partnerships with businesses, giving industry leaders an opportunity to provide valuable insight into the focus areas and skills that can most improve Oregon’s workforce.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">“<st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State> workers are excited to support these programs and show young people the kind of enjoyable, rewarding careers that they can access without a four-year degree,” noted John Mohlis, Executive-Secretary of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Oregon</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Building</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> and Construction Trades Council. “Commissioner Avakian’s and Representative Dembrow’s leadership on this issue has been invaluable.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Additional information about HB 3362B, the importance of career technical education and the coalition of supporters can be found </FONT><A href="http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI/docs/HB3362-CTE_1-pager.pdf"><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">here</FONT></A><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The bill now moves to the full Ways and Means Committee, and then to the House and Senate floors.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></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"><FONT face="Times New Roman">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.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></P>
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