Oregon Jobs: PCC Gets Grant to Train and Place Students in Manufacturing Jobs

Portland Community College has received a $577,00 grant to help their Realizing Advanced Manufacturing Potential in Portland program. RAMP PDX will train, place, advance and retain participants in a variety of advanced manufacturing jobs.

The grant is from the Oregon Talent Council, which was created last year by the Oregon Legislature to support statewide projects that provide students and existing workers with skills to increase their employability in Oregon's high demand occupations.

PCC will also contribute $1.5 million to the RAMP PDX's efforts.

The project will increase the skilled worker pipeline for the many advanced manufacturing companies in the region and pave the way for workers to attain certificates and degrees.

"PCC has a successful track record of working in collaboration with industry to design and develop training and education programs that are responsive to emerging needs," said Marc Goldberg, the college's associate vice president of Workforce Development and Community Education. "Advanced manufacturing jobs present good opportunities for unemployed, incumbent, career changers and under-skilled individuals.

"This project aims to draw participants who may have never considered advanced manufacturing as a career option, or are looking for advancement opportunities within the industry. The grant will help PCC increase the pipeline of workers for the many advanced manufacturing companies in the region."

The school will use some of the grant to create a Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) short-term certificate and non-credit Mechatronics Technology Program.

PCC says these will assist incumbent workers with "skilling-up" and connect them to more advanced mechatronics training and other education opportunities, respectively. These activities will help RAMP PDX target the technologically skilled mechanics, maintenance technicians, industrial machinists, millwrights, operators, machinery maintenance technicians, industrial machinery mechanics and machinists occupations.

Photos from Portland Community College