Congressman Peter DeFazio tours LBCC's state-of-the-art CTE facilities

Congressman Peter DeFazio is impressed with LBCC.

The Oregon Representative, 4th District, recently paid a visit to the Albany Campus to tour the college's CTE Plaza and its newly renovated career technical education facilities. The college's improvements in mechatronics, welding and fabrication, and nondestructive testing facilities were all on display as part of a $20 million project funded through local bond, government and industry partnerships.  

"On my visit to the CTE Plaza, it was inspiring to see firsthand how LBCC students are learning skills to prepare them to find good-paying jobs in the 21st century workforce," said DeFazio.

DeFazio was particularly interested in LBCC as an example of the value of educational investment. The Congressman is Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and is the author and champion behind a $760 billion infrastructure plan, aimed at greatly increasing investment in resources for improved technology and manufacturing across the country -- with emphasis on the role of career-technical education pathways offered at community colleges.

“My transformative infrastructure plan, passed by the House, pushes for increased on-the-job training programs," said DeFazio. "It will expand opportunities for students to learn through hands-on, real-world experiences, just like LBCC’s CTE Plaza provides."

Before visiting LBCC, DeFazio had just completed a tour of the nearby company Knife River, along with LBCC President Lisa Avery, to learn about the company’s plans to construct a fully immersive training center for future employees – via a vision of academic partnership with LBCC. The visit was covered in the Democrat-Herald.

He then met with the college's CTE faculty and administrators to learn more about our incredible resources for future welders, pipe-fitters, machinists and more. He also learned about the college’s apprenticeship and cooperative work experience programs.

The highlight of the tour was a personal visit with two students in the program. One student in particular talked about how, until LBCC, his future was about making pizzas. Now he is on his way to an excellent career thanks to the top-notch hands-on training he is receiving at LBCC.

To learn more about the college's CTE programs, please see our areas of study.