EVERETT — The state has set aside $1.5 million to expand programs related to aerospace manufacturing at Everett Community College starting this fall.
The community college got more than $850,000 for expanded classes, instruction, curriculum design and equipment upgrades at its Advanced Manufacturing Training and Education Center, which is to open this fall at the college’s main Everett campus. An additional $311,000 is earmarked for new equipment and staffing at the college’s new composite material manufacturing lab, according to a news release from the school.
It also received about $276,000 to add math, physics and engineering classes and to improve engineering and computer labs.
And the state Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing based at Everett Community College got nearly $140,000 to streamline curriculum at 10 two-year schools in Washington which provide composite material manufacturing training.
The money comes from legislation passed last November as part of the state’s effort to convince the Boeing Co. to site final assembly of its new 777X jetliner in Washington.
State lawmakers approved $17 million for education and training of future aerospace workers, including $8 million for 1,000 new enrollment spots at community and technical colleges and $1.5 million for enlarging the Washington Aerospace Training and Research Center at Paine Field in Everett.
The money was awarded by the state Board for Community and Technical Colleges. Twenty-four community and technical colleges submitted 40 proposals. In all, 21 institutions received money, according to the news release.
The programs at Everett will start next fall for the 2014-15 school year.
Future funding will depend on program results, according to the college.
Dan Catchpole: 425-339-3454; dcatchpole@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @dcatchpole.
