On Tuesday, June 24, 2025, Northwest Oregon Works (NOW) Maritime Program Coordinator Len Tumbarello presented Tillamook Bay Community College a check for a maritime related initiative. NOW, a workforce development board serving Benton, Clatsop, Columbia, Lincoln and Tillamook counties, selected Tillamook Bay Community College (TBCC) for a $33,000 grant to enhance its welding training program. The funding will support the acquisition of advanced welding equipment for mobile welding trailers, which will travel to high schools across Tillamook County to provide hands-on training to students and raise awareness of this career field.
The initiative aims to bridge the skills gap in the local maritime and manufacturing industries, where welding expertise is in high demand. By bringing state-of-the-art equipment directly to schools, TBCC’s mobile welding program will offer students early exposure to career pathways in skilled trades, fostering workforce development in rural communities.
“Investing in programs like this ensures our youth have access to high-quality training and can build careers right here on the Oregon Coast,” Tumbarello said. This grant is part of NOW’s broader efforts to allocate federal, state and local funds to support career development and connect businesses with skilled workers, as highlighted in previous workforce initiatives in the region…