The governing board for the Port of Seattle last week approved a contract with a jobs assistance organization aimed at finding employment and providing training for truckers who may lose their jobs due to the port's impending clean truck regulations.
The three-year $2.3 million contract calls for the non-profit Port Jobs organization to provide job training, placement programs, pre-apprenticeship training and educational programs to "truck drivers who might be unable to re-enter the market as truck drivers after the new port clean air standard becomes effective on January 1, 2011," according to the board agenda item.
The approved item also provides $1.4 million for an optional two-year extension, bringing the total approved contract to just over $4 million.
Port Jobs has provided similar assistance for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport workers and other seaport-related workers since 1993.
Under the terms of the initial three-year contract the port will provide Port Jobs with $1.9 million in direct contract payments and an additional $400,000 of in-kind support in the form of office space, standard office equipment including computers, fax and copier, telephones and Internet and Port network access, office cleaning, full office space maintenance service, employee parking and printing services similar to the access available to Port staff.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
