Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 5, 2003
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Alt Contact:  Tana Stenseng, Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, 360-664-4232

Gov. Gary Locke Lauds Federal Workforce Development Grant; Washington Among Select States to Receive Job Training Funding

Gov. Gary Locke today announced that Washington would receive a $3 million incentive grant from the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education to focus on workforce development. Washington is one of only 16 states to receive such funding, and one of only five to receive the maximum amount of $3 million.

Washington was awarded the maximum amount of federal incentive dollars for the state’s high performance in a number of federal workforce development areas, including placement after training, retention in employment and improvement in literacy gains.

The state Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board has determined that the grant money will be used by local Workforce Development Councils, community and technical colleges, and high schools and skill centers to address the shortage of health care workers in the state.

“Job creation is one of my top priorities, especially in these tough economic times,” Locke said. “This grant will allow the state to offer more job training in the high-demand field of health care, and help create more family-wage jobs in our state. I am proud that so many groups were able to work together to make this happen.”

Ellen O’Brien Saunders, executive director of the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, said, “This money presents an opportunity for workforce development programs to prepare youth, disadvantaged adults, unemployed workers and others for good-paying jobs that are going vacant. By focusing on health care, Washington can use the incentive award to make a substantial impact on a critical issue.”

The state’s Employment Security Department will administer the funds.

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Editor’s note: A breakdown of the grant money allocation is attached.
Related links: www.governor.wa.gov; www.wtb.wa.gov; www.wa.gov/esd




Federal Incentive Grant Award Recipients

Olympic Workforce Development Council
(Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap counties)
$130,707

Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council
(Mason, Thurston, Lewis, Pacific and Grays Harbor counties)
$228,812

Northwest Workforce Development Council
(San Juan, Whatcom, Island and Skagit counties)
$188,220

Snohomish County Workforce Development Council
(Snohomish County)
$243,155

Seattle-King County Workforce Development Council
(King County)
$551,747

Tacoma-Pierce County Workforce Development Council
(Pierce County)
$327,413

Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council
(Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Skamania and Clark counties)
$216,147

North Central Workforce Development Council
(Okanogan, Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Adams counties)
$221,291

Tri County Workforce Development Council
(Kittitas, Yakima and Klickitat counties)
$260,200

Eastern Washington Partnership Workforce Development Council
(Pend Oreille, Stevens, Ferry, Lincoln, Whitman, Garfield, Asotin, Columbia and Walla Walla counties)
$206,313

Benton-Franklin Workforce Development Council
(Benton, Franklin counties)
$150,866

Spokane Area Workforce Development Council
(Spokane County)
$275,129

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