Last week, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) toured the site of NRMCA member Knife River Corporation’s future training center where the company will house education and training programs for the ready mixed concrete and construction industries workforce. Rep. DeFazio, who chairs the influential House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is one of Congress’s most outspoken and ardent supporters of infrastructure, and the architect of the one-year FAST Act extension. The House-passed H.R. 2 also included important workforce development legislation known as the BUILDS Act, which provides federal grants for industry partnerships that foster workforce development programs. (H.R. 2 was not passed by the Senate and has not become law.)
Construction has begun on the center (rendering seen here), which includes a 16,000 square foot building that will focus on delivering technical-career education and a 200 x 400 foot dome for indoor equipment and skills training. The training center is for Knife River employees and those interested in construction-related careers.
NRMCA’s Workforce Development and Government Affairs teams supported Knife River’s tour with Rep. DeFazio and applaud Knife River’s efforts to promote workforce training programs and engage with key Members of Congress.
Click here to read an article on the subject by the Albany (OR) Democrat-Herald. For more information, contact Andrew Tyrrell at atyrrell@nrmca.org or Eileen Dickson at edickson@nrmca.org.
National Ready Mixed Concrete Association