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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Press Release<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">For Immediate Distribution<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">March 8, 2012<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><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" class=MsoNormal align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">Avakian spotlights high-wage careers in visit with local students</SPAN></B><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Myriad Pro'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt">Hillsboro</SPAN></I></st1:place></st1:City><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"> Chamber and local unions partner to offer skilled trade career exploration<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt">WASHINGTON COUNTY—</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt">Oregon Labor and Industries Commissioner Brad Avakian today encouraged Washington County high school students to consider careers in the skilled trades at a union apprenticeship career day held at Merlo Station High School.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Avakian, the state’s champion for 21<SUP>st</SUP> Century shop classes and other hands-on learning, also described a vision for education in <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State> that includes more opportunities for students to gain job skills and explore pathways that don’t lead to a college degree.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">“We are on the verge of great new partnerships with local businesses, labor unions and others for equipment and expertise to rapidly broaden our kids’ options,” Avakian said, describing the importance of <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s new Career and Technical Education Revitalization Grant Fund.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“<st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State> businesses and labor unions consistently tell me they’re ready and willing to help empower our next workforce, and the proof is right here in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Washington</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> in today’s event.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">As Labor and Industries Commissioner, Avakian has championed job skills and career pathway options for all middle and high school students, empowering Oregonians to join the skilled workforce at a younger age and ensuring that Oregon employers have workers with the skills they need right now.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The 2011 creation of a statewide grant fund marks a major win for the coalition that Avakian built around public investment in youth skills training, allowing the expansion of successful programs and establishment of new ones in communities around the state.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">“You all probably heard that <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Hillsboro</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">High School</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> had to get private donations to keep a veteran auto shop teacher,” Avakian told the students.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“Well, I’m excited that as we start rolling out these grants to support hands-on learning programs around the state, that ‘bake sale’ funding model is going to be replaced with the kind of serious commitment that our state, our employers and our students deserve.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">“Career and technical education is a sound investment with a high rate of return,” Avakian noted.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“We can increase engagement in learning for all levels of students, reduce drop-out rates and increase graduation rates, and lay the foundation for a highly skilled, internationally competitive workforce.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>With a good state policy in place, we can capitalize on the potential of our students, teachers and community partners to build the 21<SUP>st</SUP> Century workforce that will drive <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s economic prosperity.”<o:p></o:p></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></BODY></HTML>