The Buccaneer

Issue date: 6/11/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Sebastian Edgerton The K-ply mill sits empty in Port Angeles since workers were laid off in 2007.

The Clallam County Work Source Center is partnering with PC to provide training for workers affected by the closing of the K-ply mill in Port Angeles. Funding is provided through the Department of Labor Workforce Investment Act and Trade Adjustment Assistance Program. About 150 workers lost their jobs when the mill closed.

K-ply laid off the workers in November of 2007, planning to re-hire them. But the company announced in February 2008 that they would not be re-hiring and would close permanetly.

Margaret Hess, a Work Source Manager for employment and training programs in Kitsap, Clallam, and Jefferson Counties said that Work Source held an event at PC on March 7th to let workers know about financial assistance for re-training, skill upgrading and re-employment. "About 100 people (both PC students and non-students) attended the meeting," said Hess.

Prior to the company being Trade Act Certified, benefits were minimal and only 54 affected workers participated in the training program.

Hess said that after the company was Trade Act Certified on April 21, 2008, another event was held on May 9th to inform the former K-Ply workers of additional funding assistance available through the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program for up to two years of training. Over 80 people attended this meeting to learn about funding options. Currently, 87 workers have been certified as eligible for the TAA Program, according to Hess.

"Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance (ATAA) help trade-affected workers who have lost their jobs as a result of increased imports or shifts in production out of the United States," said Hess adding that certified individuals may be eligible to receive one or more program benefits and services depending on what is needed to return them to employment.

"The TAA Program services and benefits include re-employment services, job search and training allowances, and training funds for up to 104 weeks of classroom training, customized training, or on-the-job training with a local employer," said Hess.

Hess said there two short term training programs developed for these students, but open to others, include Commercial Driver License (CDL-A), Aluminum Welding, and New Chance. ?Other students are opting for professional / technical programs already in place at PC. The ATAA program benefits are provided as an alternative to the benefits offered under the regular TAA program. Participation in ATAA allows older workers (50 plus), for whom retraining may not be appropriate, to accept reemployment at a lower wage and receive a wage subsidy.

Hess said those workers not currently involved with training are opting for re-employment services available through Clallam County Work Source to include employment counseling, career assessment, job search workshops, assistance and referrals, computer classes. Relocation funding is also available for those who move out of the area for employment.

PC has a retraining advisory committee to provide community input into the program and meets quarterly.

For further information and contact information for the Work Force program, visit the college website at: http://www.pc.ctc.edu/academics/proftech.aspx.

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