May 4, 2006

4,000 Students Expected at Northwest Youth Careers Expo
Event showcases career and skill building opportunities for students.

Portland, OR — Students throughout the metropolitan area will have the opportunity to learn about potential careers in metals manufacturing, construction and healthcare at the NW Youth Careers Expo, sponsored by Gunderson, Inc., Madden Industrial Craftsmen, PCC Structurals, Inc., and the Portland Development Commission, and coordinated by the Metals Industry Consortium, Oregon Building Congress, Portland Workforce Alliance and the Manufacturing 21 Coalition. The Expo runs from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 11, 2006 in the Exhibit Hall at Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon.

Thousands of high school students are expected to attend the Expo, representing schools from throughout the metro region, including the Portland , David Douglas, and Vancouver school districts. Students can try welding, test-drive a bulldozer, take apart valves, and maneuver a robotic arm in the expansive hands-on demonstration area, which will also include demos for other computer-controlled equipment, plasma cutting, wire stripping, door drilling, and a Portland General Electric line truck with utility bucket.

The Careers Expo is an industry-driven collaboration designed to provide Oregon’s future workforce with career path information. The aging of the baby boomer workforce is expected to fuel as many as 670,000 open jobs in the next 10 years and some of the fastest growing sectors include healthcare, manufacturing and construction. According to the Oregon Employment Department, the metals industry alone will need 14,000 new workers by 2012.

“The Expo will help students learn about family wage jobs and the need to work hard in school to develop the skills they need to access those jobs,” said Vicki Phillips, Superintendent, Portland Public Schools. “We’re committed to working with all of our partners to meet the region’s growing workforce needs.”

Bill Furman, president and CEO, The Greenbrier Companies, added, “Efforts like the Expo are crucial to the vibrancy of the City and we are pleased to be involved in this event. We are encouraged by the vision and efforts of Dr. Phillips to strengthen the high school curriculum and to make education more relevant to the lives of students.”

A special feature of the Expo will be the “High School Senior Section”—where students can meet with college counselors, industry professionals and human resources specialists for career guidance, summer employment opportunities, mock interviews, and employment and training services.

Recent high school graduate Chris Larson, age 19, can attest to the opportunities available. “I got a job at Columbia Wire and Iron right out of high school last year and am almost through my first year as an apprentice,” he said. “At $14.58 an hour plus benefits and a continuing education I can't complain.”

Portland Public Schools Superintendent Vicki Phillips; Portland Community College President Dr. Preston Pulliams; Tom Sass, President of Gunderson, Inc.; Bart Eberwein, Vice President of Hoffman Construction; and Susan Shugerman, Director of Science Education, OHSU, are scheduled to present brief remarks to the Expo attendees at 10:15 a.m. in the demonstration area.

Students are invited to attend the Expo at no charge.

More than 50 exhibitors representing the three participating industries as well as higher education and workforce entities will participate in the Expo. The diverse group of exhibiting companies includes Acumed, Boeing, Columbia Wire & Iron Works, Gunderson, Inc., Kaiser Permanente, Legacy Health System, Madden Industrial Craftsmen, Inc., Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Oregon Steel Mills, Portland Community College, and Portland State University.

Planning committee members include Drew Park, Columbia Wire & Iron; Jeanne Yerkovich, Portland Public Schools; Logan Imponen, PCC Structurals; Michele Hicks, Madden Industrial Craftsmen; Kevin Jeans-Gail, Portland Workforce Alliance; Kevin Johnson, Portland Development Commission; Patrick Kraft, Portland Community College; Alan Woolley, Oregon Employment Dept.; Sue Eastman, SE Works; Colleen Hankins, Worksource Vancouver; Mimi Bushman, Workdrugfree; Erik Swanson, Barrett Businesses Services; and event planner Stephanie Kennedy, Total Event Connection.

PDC was created by Portland voters in 1958 to serve as the city’s urban renewal agency as laid out in Chapter 15 of the City’s Charter. PDC provides comprehensive housing, development and economic development programs within the Portland region.

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NOTE: Schools Superintendent Vicki Phillips and representatives from PCC, OHSU, metals, healthcare and construction will address the students at 10:15 a.m.

Representatives of sponsoring organizations who are available for interviews include:

• Logan Imponen, PCC Structurals, 503-777-3881; LImponen@pccstructurals.com
  
  
• Steve Olczak, Portland Public Schools, 503- 916- 5443; solczak@pps.k12.or.us
  
  
• Kevin Jeans-Gail, Portland Workforce Alliance, 503-201-1803; kgail@pps.k12.or.us
  
  
• Drew Park, Columbia Wire & Iron, 971-404-2472; Drew@cwi1.com

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