Funds may be sent back to state

MOSES LAKE — Employment is up in the state of Washington, but that means some college programs are seeing a decrease in enrollment.

The Worker Retraining Program at Big Bend Community College is one example. The program is a partnership between community and technical colleges and the Washington State Employment Security Department, to provide job training for dislocated workers, people on unemployment, those facing imminent layoffs, displaced homemakers, and formerly self-employed individuals.

This fall the program was down 30 students from last school year, with only 42 currently enrolled.

It is a trend Suzy Ames, director of communication with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, says is happening in Worker Retraining Programs across the state.

"That's going to impact the dollars quite a bit," Ames said.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the unemployment rate in the state stands at 5.6 percent which is down from six percent in 2004.

What that means for Worker Retraining Programs is that fewer people will have a need for training services and several thousand dollars in financial aid will go unused.

At BBCC, $81,900 in state grant monies was allocated from the state for the program of which only $15,239 of that has been utilized for 2005-2006. The college has through the summer of 2006 to use that money and any money left over goes back to the state to be dispersed to other programs.

This is the third year BBCC has offered the Worker Retraining Program and has not had to return any of the money in the past, but this year it may have to and there is a chance the college will not get as much money for the program next year when it reapplies for the grant, said Sherry Keeler, director of financial aid at BBCC.

Keeler also keeps a close eye on local employment trends with companies such as J.R. Simplot and Advanced Silicon Materials, to gauge how financial aid and enrollment numbers will be affected.

Earlier it was announced that Solar Grade Silicon, LLC, is considering an expansion, estimated at $300 million, to its Moses Lake facility. It is also considering expanding in five other locations.

Renewable Energy Corporation merged with Advanced Silicon Materials LLC (ASiMI) earlier this year. Solar Grade Silicon is the joint venture of ASiMI and REC. Seventy new jobs would come from the expansion.

Fred Zerza, company spokesman with the J.R. Simplot Company, said employment at both the Moses Lake and Othello plants have remained stable in the past year with no reductions in their work force, with exception to seasonal employment which always varies.

It's a good problem to have, in that the individual is employed, but it's important to keep that financial aid money here for local students to use, said Kara Garrett, dean of education, health and language skills at BBCC who oversees the Worker Retraining program.