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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><font style="font-size: 16pt" size="4"><b>Press Release</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">For Immediate Distribution</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><b>May 17, 2012</b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">CONTACT: Bob Estabrook, 503-709-0730</p>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="CENTER"><font style="font-size: 16pt" size="4"><b>Avakian, Legislators Tour Lane County Youth Training Program
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="CENTER"><i>State Labor Commissioner and local leaders spotlight new partnership</i></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><b>EUGENE-</b> Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) Commissioner Brad Avakian and Lane County legislators today toured the state-of-the-art training center at the Sheet Metal Institute – Springfield Campus, interacting
with students from Bethel, Pleasant Hill and Springfield School Districts who are receiving hands-on experience as part of a new career and technical education partnership between the school districts and local labor unions.
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“The collaboration that drives this program is the key to our economic success as a state,” said Avakian, whose top priority as labor and industries commissioner is restoring “21st<sup></sup> century shop classes” to every middle
and high school in Oregon. “The investment by community partners like organized labor is crucial in ensuring that kids have the skills to take on high-wage jobs at an earlier age, and in ensuring that employers can find the skilled workforce that they need.”</p>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">The three local school districts are partnering with Sheet Metal Workers Local 16 for the pilot, and adding IBEW Local 280 and Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 290 next year, to create this unique pre-apprenticeship class that promotes
awareness of high-wage, high-demand careers as well as transferable job skills. Fourteen students were chosen to participate in the pilot from a much larger pool of applicants. BOLI’s high school integration initiative facilitated the formation of the cooperative
partnerships that support the program, and BOLI helps to administer the new statewide grant fund that is investing in replicating and expanding programs like the Lane County partnership throughout the state. Interest in and support for that grant fund has
been significant, driven in part by broad recognition that Oregon <font color="#0000ff">
<u><a href="http://www.registerguard.com/web/opinion/28040866-47/education-college-students-cte-academic.html.csp">students have limited options for career and technical education.</a></u></font>.
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">“I’m thankful to have so many Oregonians, from educators to employers to organized labor and others in the community, actively engaged in creating these new opportunities for our students,” Avakian added. “Getting high-quality
career and technical education options into all of our schools will happen faster, and pay greater dividends, if we work in concert with local employers and community partners—exactly the way this program is working.”</p>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="CENTER">######</p>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="CENTER"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><i>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.</i></font></p>
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