M ay 4, 2011
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IN S ID E
The Week in Review
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Sponsored by:
Page 3
FredMeyer
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Workforce Training in Crosshairs
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O bservador
page 15
Cuts aimed at
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bringing diversity
to trades
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C lassifieds
page 15
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page 16-17
C alendar
page 19
F ood
page 20
T he P ortland O bserver
After a long history of searching
for employment, Brian Beasley is
gaining skills to become an electri­
cian in the future.
Pat Daniels is the executive direc­
tor for Constructing Hope, which is
a non-profit pre apprenticeship pro­
gram that targets low income, mi­
norities and individuals with a legal
history to prepare them for jobs
within the construction and trade
industry throughout Portland,
Even as unemployment rates re­
main extremely high throughout the
state, recent federal budget cuts
have job training and placement
programs throughout the Portland
area worried about their future abil­
ity to better the economic lives and
opportunities for minorities within
the community.
The loss of funding includes the
elimination of billions of dollars for Brian Beasley, 33, picks up his worker’s belt and hard hat during
the W orkforce Investm ent Act his 5th week of apprenticeship training with Constructing Hope in
(WIA) which is expected to have a northeast Portland, where he is gaining skills to become an
trickle down affect, impacting all electrician in the future.
tiers of the trade industry.
cian and building his own house funding in 2010 to serve at risk youth,
Although many facets of the someday are real achievable goals job seeking adults and dislocated
construction industry have been in his future.
workers. Although this represents
committed to increasing the amount
“That is what this program is a 20 percent decrease in funds over
of workers for future work projects geared toward, which is helping the last decade, the funding has
throughout the city, many employ­ people with legal history find em ­ helped over 280,000 Oregonians in
ment and training systems could be ployment in the construction field,” the past year to participate in pro­
shut down, especially if services he said. “W e’re actually helping to grams to help the unemployed.
become terminated for participants re-build stuff, instead of tearing stuff
In response to a nationwide trend
who rely on these programs in eco­ up.”
of diminishing qualified trade craft
nomically difficult times.
But after the U.S. House of Rep­ workers in the construction indus­
Beasley, 33, is in his fifth week of resentatives cut funding in Febru­ try, companies like TriMet use the
apprenticeship training with Con­ ary, and if the latest appropriations Workforce Training and Hiring Pro­
structing Hope Pre-Apprenticeship bill is passed, these financial cuts gram to maximize apprenticeship
Training Program. Founded in 2007, would cancel all new funding for opportunities for people of color,
the non-profit service program pre­ state and local programs, as well as women and the economically dis­
pares students with apprenticeship drastically affect the programs af­ parate.
placements in the trade industry filiated with them.
Loretta Young, who has worked
come graduation from their nine-
Although the final numbers have for the City of Portland for over 26-
week program.
yet to be determined, some stake­ years, said the goal is to increase the
“It’s giving me a second chance holders in Oregon said it is likely numbers of women and minorities in
at doing something constructive for that the resources available to serve the construction trades through ap­
my life,’’ he said. This is opposed to disconnected youth, d isad v an ­ prenticeship opportunities on local
continuing being a part of a viscous taged adults and dislocated work­ government projects.
cycle and ending up in jail again.’’ ers will experience a 25 to 35 percent
Since the beginning of the pro­
In the past, Beasley has long had loss of WIA resources.
gram, which began in 1997 with the
trouble finding work, but with the
A cco rd in g to the O regon city has witnessed a slow, but defi-
help of Constructing Hope program, Workforce Partnership, Oregon re­
continued
on page 18
his dreams of becoming an electri- ceived $47 million in federal WIA