Cantwell Tours Job Training Programs at Grays Harbor College, Discusses New Federal Grant Aimed at Increasing Prime-Age Worker Employment

$500K federal RECOMPETES grant will help identify opportunities to close prime age employment gap

ABERDEEN, WA - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined key stakeholders of Greater Grays Harbor, Inc. (GGHI), the regional chamber of commerce and economic development council, and local workforce partners for a roundtable discussion about implementation of a $500,000 Recompete Strategy Development Grant to spur economic development in the region.

"In the information age, when you think about all the things we now know that a community of this size never has the resources to do the kind of deep research or analysis to decide what to do -- where are you going to get the money for that? So, to me it made perfect sense, and so we did fight like hell, and we kept advocating with the Secretary of Commerce," said Sen. Cantwell.

The Recompete Pilot Program (Recompete) targets areas where prime-age (25-54 years) employment is significantly lower than the national average, with the goal of closing this gap through flexible, locally driven investments. Sen. Cantwell fought to include the Recompete Pilot in her landmark CHIPS and Science Act, one of the largest federal investments ever made to boost American science research, technology innovation, and domestic manufacturing. The CHIPS and Science Act included a $1 billion authorization for the 5-year pilot program. Rep. Kilmer originally authored the program under the Rebuilding Economies and Creating Opportunities for More People Everywhere to Excel Act (RECOMPETE Act). To date, the Economic Development Administration (EDA) has been appropriated $200 million for the program.

Following the roundtable, Sen. Cantwell toured the nursing, welding, and carpentry programs at Grays Harbor College. All three of these programs stand to benefit through workforce partnerships with members of GGHI to fill key workforce gaps in the region. Photos and videos of the tour are available HERE, and HERE.

In Grays Harbor County, 63% of people aged 25 to 54 are employed, which is 15% below the national average. The Recompete Strategy Development Grant will fund the development of a Region-wide Strategic Plan to address this prime age employment gap. GGHI is partnering with local employers and stakeholders to implement this Strategy Development Grant; Rock Project Management Services, Grays Harbor College, PacMountain Workforce Development, and the Pacific County Economic Development Council.

Photos and videos of today's roundtable and tour of Grays Harbor College are available for use HERE and HERE.

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