In order for our educators to equip our workforce with the training and skills they need to succeed, it is essential we invest in workforce development. That is why I am so pleased about the opportunities a newly announced Economic Development Administration grant will bring to both Walla Walla Community College in Clarkston and to our community at large.

It is estimated that in the next 10 years, this Financial Assistance Award will bring 470 new jobs to our community. As WWCC breaks ground on its Workforce and Business Development Center, I am confident it will arm Clarkston and the greater Lewis-Clark Valley with the tools they need to flourish in the 21st century workplace. By offering better workforce training in areas like industrial maintenance, welding and fabrication, electricity and energy systems, and business programs, this new center will serve as a hub of modern job training.

These are the kinds of projects that change lives, and that help people attain the skills they need to reach their full potential. These are the projects that open doors for tremendous opportunities for our community. With the Workforce and Business Development Center, projected to be completed by December 2016, we can count on new jobs, new skills, and new possibilities for Eastern Washington.