NEWS RELEASE
June 28, 2007                                

Lt. Governor’s committee to look at workforce education

SPOKANE, Wash. — “Building Tomorrow’s Workforce” with a focus on trade, technical and vocational training will be the subject of the Legislative Committee on Economic Development and International Relations’

 (LCEDIR) July 11 meeting starting at 9 a.m. at Spokane Community College.

The committee, made up of 13 legislators and chaired by Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, will hear presentations from educators, labor and business representatives. Owen and Spokane Mayor Dennis Hession will give welcoming remarks.

Presenters include Charlie Earl, executive director of the state Board for Technical and Community Colleges; Steve Hanson, president of Spokane Community College; Amy Johnson with the Spokane Chamber of Commerce; Mark Mattke, workforce strategy and planning director of the Spokane Area Workforce Development Council; and Kevin Managhan, training director for the Inland Empire Electrical Training Trust, Electrical Industry, Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC). 

There will also be a presentation by Karen Waldher on “Pizza, Pop and Power Tools,” an annual two-day program designed to introduce girls in middle school to jobs in the construction trades. This year, more than 400 girls from 18 area middle schools attended the event at the SCC Apprenticeship and Journeyman Training Center. 

In addition, a student panel will discuss how they have taken advantage of technical and vocational training opportunities. 

“Key to what we will be talking about is the continually evolving partnerships between the colleges, labor, industry and government which make vocational and technical education a priority,” the lieutenant governor said. “Not everyone goes on to get a university degree, but thanks to our incredible community college vocational training programs everyone does have an opportunity to succeed in the workplace today.” 

The meeting is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the SCC Sasquatch/Bigfoot Rooms. SCC is located at 2000 N. Greene St.  More information about LCEDIR can be found on the lieutenant governor’s Web site at http://www.ltgov.wa.gov

Note to editors: an opinion piece on this topic by Lt. Governor Owen can also be found on the Web site – look in the right column in the News and Photos area.

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For more information contact:                     

Brian Dirks (360) 786-7707 or dirks.brian@leg.wa.gov