Our History

September 2022

The Center of Excellence took over the National Science Foundation grant, Building Equity for Aerospace Training. Executive Director Jason Petrait named Principal Investigator.

September 2020

The Center of Excellence for Semiconductors & Electronic Manufacturing was placed under the direction of Clark College.

September 2019

The Center of Excellence for Semiconductors & Electronic Manufacturing opened in Vancouver, WA operating under the leadership of the Center of Excellence for Aerospace & Advanced Manufacturing at Everett Community College.

2017

The COE’s 2017 Annual Report was released.

2016

The COE’s 2016 Annual Report was released.

November 2016

The Boeing Company awarded a grant to the COE to create mechatronics internships.

July 2016

The MechaWA TechHire group is awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Labor’s H-1B TechHire Partnership grant.

2015

The COE published its Washington Program & Resource Guide for Education & Careers in Aerospace & Manufacturing.

September 2014

The Washington Integrated Sector Employment (WISE) project received funding from the fourth and final round of the U.S. Department of Labor’s TAACCCT grant.

August 2014

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) awarded funding to the COE under the Standards Services Curricula Development Cooperative Agreement Program.

June 2014

SBCTC awarded the COE with state funding for aerospace training and equipment.

January 2014

Composites Washington consortium is formed.

October 2011

The Air Washington consortium received funding from The Department of Labor’s first round of the Trade Adjustment Assistance and Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) Grant Program.

Read the outcome report.

2009

The Washington State Centers of Excellence are codified into Washington State statute (HB 1323) making Washington the only state in the country to have Centers designated through legislation.

2004

The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) selected 10 Centers of Excellence to serve as economic development drivers for the state’s leading industries and placed them on college campuses through a competitive application process.