The West Sound Technical Skills Center in Bremerton, which partners with three school districts in Jefferson County, has had $42 million earmarked by the state legislature to fully fund its continued construction.

West Sound partners with 10 school districts, including Port Townsend, Chimacum, Quilcene, Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, Peninsula, North Mason, and Central, North and South Kitsap, to provide advanced career and technical education to their high school juniors and seniors, at no cost.

The $42 million in funding, reserved in the final capital budget, will finish construction of one of the state’s largest skills trade centers, serving up to 1,000 students from those 10 school districts in the western Puget Sound.

West Sound provides trades and skills training in construction, welding, automotive and collision repair, medical and dental, cosmetology, maritime, criminal justice, culinary, and early childhood learning programs.

“The facility’s completion will expand opportunities and create pathways for students wanting to pursue a trades career, which can lead to living-wage jobs right out of high school,” State Sen. Deborah Krishnadasan (D-Gig Harbor) said. “This program also addresses the urgent workforce needs in so many of our local industries.”

“This session is full of hard decisions, especially in a year where resources are finite and needs are high,” said Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D-Tacoma), Senate Ways and Means Committee vice chair and lead capital budget writer. “But we heard from students, educators and families that completing this facility is vital for the region and its workforce development goals.”

The funding is a part of the capital budget package, which pays for acquiring and maintaining state buildings, schools, public lands, parks and other assets.