Background:

Aerospace is Washington's largest manufacturing industry. Its primary focus is aircraft and parts manufacturing. According to the Aerospace Competitiveness Study (Competitiveness Study) commissioned by the Washington Aerospace Partnership in 2011, the state's aerospace industry includes about 150 aerospace firms that employ nearly 90,000 workers. (Roughly 650 other firms employ several thousand more workers in companies that serve the aerospace industry.)

The Competitiveness Study cited the high productivity and knowledge of Washington's workforce as a key advantage, but also recommended that the state's post-high school aerospace certification and apprenticeship programs be strengthened to accelerate the state's production of skilled manufacturing workers. A goal of the Washington Council on Aerospace is to continue to identify ways to help increase the coordination, articulation, and growth of aerospace training programs statewide.

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (College Board) has general supervision and control over the state system of community and technical colleges. In addition to other powers and duties, the College Board ensures that each college district offers comprehensive educational, training, and service programs to meet the needs of communities and students through academic transfer courses, occupational education courses, and adult education. Thirty-four of the colleges offer workforce training in aerospace-related fields.

The Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Materials Manufacturing serves as a liaison between the aerospace industry and the training system. Air Washington, a consortium of community colleges and other training providers, recently received a $20 million grant from the federal Department of Labor to develop and implement education, training, and services to meet Washington' s workforce demands, as identified by employers in the aerospace industry.

The Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board provides planning, coordination, evaluation, monitoring, and policy analysis for the state training system as a whole, and advises the Governor and the Legislature concerning the state training system.

The Aerospace Training Student Loan Program makes loans available to eligible students enrolled in courses offered by the Washington Aerospace Training and Research Center (WATR Center) and the Spokane Aerospace Technology Center (SAT Center). The WATR Center offers courses through partnerships with Edmonds Community College and Renton Technical College. The loan program is administered by the Higher Education Coordinating Board. Legislation enacted in 2011 replaced the Higher Education Coordinating Board for higher education financial aid responsibilities with the Office of Student Financial Assistance as of July 1, 2012.

Summary:

The Legislature expresses its intent to improve coordination of the training system to provide better alignment with industry needs and to keep pace with a rapidly changing economy. The Legislature also expresses its intent to increase aerospace skills development and education and training programs, and help increase jobs for Washington's citizens. The requirements relating to training programs are subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for these specific purposes.

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (College Board) is required to facilitate coordination and alignment of aerospace training programs to the maximum extent possible. In doing so, the College Board is required to collaborate with certain long-term training providers, short-term training providers, and apprenticeship program providers. Coordination and alignment must include, but is not limited to, the following:

providing information about aerospace training programs;

providing information about grants and partnership opportunities;
providing coordination for professional development for faculty and other education and training providers;
evaluating certain programs annually for completion and job placement results; and
making budget recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature on aerospace training programs.

The College Board is also required to establish the Aerospace and Advanced Materials Manufacturing Pipeline Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee). This Advisory Committee must consist of 11 to 15 members. A majority of members, including the chair, must represent industry. At least two members must represent labor. Other members must be education and training providers, including directors of long-term training, short-term training, and apprenticeship programs.

The Advisory Committee is required to:

provide direction for a skills gap analysis produced with the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board (Workforce Board) using data developed through the Education Data Center, and consistent with the joint assessment of higher education and training credentials required to match employer demand;
establish goals for students served, program completion rates, and employment rates;
coordinate and disseminate industry advice for training programs; and
recommend training programs for review by the Workforce Board in coordination with the College Board.

The Workforce Board, with the College Board, is required to evaluate training programs recommended for review by September 1, 2012, and every year thereafter. These evaluations must include outcome results for employers and persons receiving training. The Workforce Board is also required to conduct and complete analyses of the training system, including net impacts, cost-benefit analyses, and outcome results by September 1, 2016, and every four years thereafter.

The Aerospace Training Student Loan Program is made available to students enrolled in aerospace industry courses offered by Renton Technical College. References to the Higher Education Coordinating Board are replaced with references to the Office of Student Financial Assistance.

House	94	3
Senate	48	0	(Senate amended)
House	94	1	(House concurred)

Effective:	June 7, 2012
	July 1, 2012 (Sections 4-8)