Secretary Walsh, Rep. Bonamici Tour Workforce Training Programs in Oregon

WASHINGTON, DC [3/29/22] – Last Thursday Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici hosted U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh in Oregon to highlight their efforts to increase access to quality, high-wage jobs.

The Secretary and Congresswoman toured Portland Community College's new Training Center at the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center (OMIC) in Scappoose. Later in the day, Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Rep. Earl Blumenauer joined them at the NECA-IBEW Training Center in Portland. They met with pre-apprentices, students, faculty, and local labor leaders to discuss the importance of creating pathways to high-wage manufacturing, clean energy, and construction jobs, especially for women, people of color, and others who have historically been left behind.

Photos of the visit to the PCC training center at OMIC can be downloaded here. Photos from the visit to IBEW can be downloaded here. Photos of a meeting with public sector labor leaders can be downloaded here.

"At the Department of Labor, we believe the ‘future of work' is about job quality, equity, and access for all workers to good middle-class careers," said Secretary Marty Walsh. "Oregon is a proven leader in building equitable, diverse career pathways, and I was thrilled to witness a strong state-federal partnership at work."

"Oregon is a leader in addressing the skills gap by creating opportunities for more people to access quality jobs," said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. "I was honored to host Secretary Walsh as we toured local training programs and heard personal stories about how workforce training, pre-apprenticeships, and the trades are changing lives. PCC at OMIC and Oregon Tradeswomen are doing important work to expand opportunities as we implement the new bipartisan infrastructure law, ramp up U.S. manufacturing, and transition to a clean energy economy. I'm committed to working with Secretary Walsh to secure the federal resources we need to make these jobs available to more people, especially those who have historically been left behind."

"I'd like to thank Congresswoman Bonamici for convening last week's roundtable discussion on how we can create more pathways to good-paying careers, particularly for women and people of color," said Governor Kate Brown. "And, thank you to Secretary Walsh for his continued leadership in workforce development for historically disadvantaged communities. With strong state-federal partnerships, we have an opportunity to build a future-ready workforce in Oregon."

Bonamici has long advocated for increased resources to strengthen workforce training programs and increase access to apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships. She helped lead the National Apprenticeship Act, which the House recently passed as part of the America COMPETES Act. The COMPETES legislation also includes her PARTNERS Act and BUILDS Act, which would expand paid on-the-job training opportunities and provide workers with access to tools, work attire, transportation, child care services, and mentorship.

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