Press Release

April 2009

State Representative David Edwards Leads Effort to
Improve Workforce Training

SALEM — Representative David Edwards (D-Hillsboro) believes that in today’s global economy, our communities’ success depends on the training of our workforce. For that reason, he is the chief sponsor of HB 3093 which will bring four new Applied Baccalaureate programs to Oregon designed for non-traditional students.

Rep. Edwards maintains that “to help Oregonians pursue lifelong learning and to maximize their earning potential, we need to ensure adult learners have flexible and if desired, career-centered postsecondary options.” The proposed legislation has broad support among key community college and Oregon university representatives.

More specifically, the bill charges the Joint Board of Education to assess and authorize as many as four Applied Baccalaureate degrees. An Applied Baccalaureate is typically focused particularly, though not solely, on a specific applied field of study such as manufacturing technology or health care. Possible degrees under this bill would allow students with a two-year technical degree to get a four-year degree by completing a program of direct supervised work experience, or alternately, by completing two years of upper division general election credits.

Oregon is one of only 11 states that does not currently offer these unique programs. If the bill passes, programs could be offered through Oregon community colleges and/or universities. The bill has been assigned to the House Education Committee and had its first hearing on April 6th and is scheduled for a work session on the 24th. To track the progress of HB 3093 visit www.leg.state.or.us. For more information, you can also view a report on the Applied Baccalaureate concept at http://occrl.ed.uiuc.edu/Projects/lumina/lumina.asp.

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