Oregon to get $5M green job training grant

Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Portland will receive $5 million of the $100 million in green jobs training grants announced Wednesday by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

The grants — part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 — will support job training programs to help dislocated workers and others, including veterans, women, African Americans and Latinos, find jobs in expanding green industries and related occupations.

The Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership grant will serve unemployed and dislocated workers and employed workers at local renewable energy industries in Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties in Oregon and Clark, Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties in Washington state.

The project aims to build a skilled work force to support companies that generate power and assist local manufacturers in retooling their work force.

Key partnerships include: Sheet Metal Workers Local 16, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District No. 24, Northwest Oregon Labor Council, Energy Trust of Oregon, four local Workforce Investment Boards and the bi-state WorkSource system, six community colleges and economic development partners.