In response to dramatic changes in structure of Washington’s economy, the layoffs of thousands of workers in major industries, and the long-term need for training programs for Washington citizens, the legislature enacted the Workforce Employment and Training Act in 1993.
As a result of this legislation, colleges created Worker Retraining programs that have served over 100,000 unemployed and dislocated workers in Washington. This law has significantly expanded the training available to the thousands of jobless workers who need to change careers in order to re-enter the workforce.