Greetings from the Governor – June 16, 2015

I am pleased to congratulate the Homeland Security-Emergency Management Center of Excellence on its 10th anniversary.

Washington State is the only state in the nation to codify Centers of Excellence into state statute under the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC). Our state’s 10 Centers of Excellence develop partnerships among public and private businesses and industry, education, labor and the workforce system with a goal of building a competitive workforce and ensuring continued economic vitality and resilience in the state and the region.

The Homeland Security-Emergency Management Center of Excellence (Center) is helping our state’s community and technical colleges prepare a skilled workforce to maintain our national security, ensure effective response to all-hazard events and build community disaster resilience. The Homeland Security Emergency Management field continues to be a high growth industry with an ever increasing demand for skilled workers that have the expertise to plan, prepare, respond and lead the recovery from complex man-made, natural and technological disasters. Through the Center’s efforts, I am confident that our state will continue to provide the necessary statewide leadership to ensure that this industry’s academic programs remain cutting-edge.

I applaud the Center’s contributions over the past decade and look forward to its continued success.

Very truly yours,
Jay Inslee