Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 5, 2001
Contact: Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Speaking to the Regional Technology Workforce Summit in Seattle, Locke emphasized the importance of helping Washington’s companies find the skilled workers they seek and helping citizens gain the skills necessary for satisfying, well-paying jobs.
The Workforce Development Councils of King, Pierce and Snohomish counties sponsored the summit with the Puget Sound Regional Skills Gap Consortium and the Regional Advanced Technology Education Consortium.
Although the September 11th events have cooled the economy nationally and here in Washington state, the governor said, “America will grow stronger.”
“We are committed to building a better, more resilient nation, and investments in education and innovation remain the key to our future,” Locke said. “We need to use this period as an opportunity to position Washington state to compete effectively both now and when the economy rebounds.”
The governor noted that Washington has become a leading center of innovation. The Progressive Policy Institute ranked Washington fourth in the nation as a “New Economy” state and ranked the central Puget Sound region third in the nation as a “New Economy” metropolitan area.
Locke called on the audience to do more to help expand enrollment at community and technical colleges, to target enrollment to high-demand fields -- particularly in technology -- and to provide even more access to colleges and courses through expanded use of the Internet.
The governor also stressed the need to make workforce training more responsive to changing industry needs.
“This environment requires not just a skilled workforce, but a nimble workforce -- one that can meet highly specific skill standards, which are subject to sometimes dramatic shifts,” Locke said.
To meet this challenge, the governor said, “Our educational institutions must find ways to operate more flexibly and responsively than ever before. Industry, community and technical colleges and the four-year institutions need to come together to identify needed skills and develop the curriculum to deliver those skills -- while also building to a four-year degree as their careers take our workers to more responsible positions.”
Related Links:
- Snohomish County Workforce Development Council
- The State New Economy Index
- WorkSource Washington
- 2000 Long-Term Economic and Labor Force Forecast for Washington
- Progressive Policy Institute
- The Metropolitan New Economy Index
- Washington State Labor Market Information
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 5, 2001
Contact: Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Locke promotes skilled, nimble workforce for 21st century
SEATTLE – Gov. Gary Locke today pledged to work with business, government and education leaders to train a skilled and nimble workforce for the 21st century.Speaking to the Regional Technology Workforce Summit in Seattle, Locke emphasized the importance of helping Washington’s companies find the skilled workers they seek and helping citizens gain the skills necessary for satisfying, well-paying jobs.
The Workforce Development Councils of King, Pierce and Snohomish counties sponsored the summit with the Puget Sound Regional Skills Gap Consortium and the Regional Advanced Technology Education Consortium.
Although the September 11th events have cooled the economy nationally and here in Washington state, the governor said, “America will grow stronger.”
“We are committed to building a better, more resilient nation, and investments in education and innovation remain the key to our future,” Locke said. “We need to use this period as an opportunity to position Washington state to compete effectively both now and when the economy rebounds.”
The governor noted that Washington has become a leading center of innovation. The Progressive Policy Institute ranked Washington fourth in the nation as a “New Economy” state and ranked the central Puget Sound region third in the nation as a “New Economy” metropolitan area.
Locke called on the audience to do more to help expand enrollment at community and technical colleges, to target enrollment to high-demand fields -- particularly in technology -- and to provide even more access to colleges and courses through expanded use of the Internet.
The governor also stressed the need to make workforce training more responsive to changing industry needs.
“This environment requires not just a skilled workforce, but a nimble workforce -- one that can meet highly specific skill standards, which are subject to sometimes dramatic shifts,” Locke said.
To meet this challenge, the governor said, “Our educational institutions must find ways to operate more flexibly and responsively than ever before. Industry, community and technical colleges and the four-year institutions need to come together to identify needed skills and develop the curriculum to deliver those skills -- while also building to a four-year degree as their careers take our workers to more responsible positions.”
Related Links:
- Snohomish County Workforce Development Council
- The State New Economy Index
- WorkSource Washington
- 2000 Long-Term Economic and Labor Force Forecast for Washington
- Progressive Policy Institute
- The Metropolitan New Economy Index
- Washington State Labor Market Information
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