MARINE TRAINING BILL INTRODUCED IN SENATE

摘要

Technical schools that train workers for maritime and energy careers could get $12 million annually in new federal grant funding under a bill introduced by a bipartisan trio of U.S. senators from coastal states. Training schools such as South Seattle College would benefit if the Maritime and Energy Workforce Technical Training Enhancement Act were to become law. The bill is sponsored by Sen. David Vitter, R-La., Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. - all from states with a major maritime presence. The legislation is the latest response to concerns over the recruitment, training and retention of skilled workers in the maritime and energy industries. The legislation authorizes the Energy Department to make grants between $1 million and $1.5 million to eligible colleges to expand maritime and energy workforce training programs. The grants are for three-year periods. The grants can be used for such items as training related to maritime transportation, logistics, supply chain management, shipbuilding and ship repair; enhancement of workforce training to include certifications and apprenticeships for employment categories such as tankerman, deckhand, and able-bodied seaman; operation of ship simulators, fire suppression equipment, marine fueling equipment, and measuring and sampling instruments; and acquisition of maritime training equipment.