Boeing Machinists support aerospace apprenticeship bill

The Boeing Co.’s Machinists union is lending support to a new bill that would give aerospace companies a tax break for hiring new apprentices.

The legislation introduced Friday would give $5,000 B&O tax credit over two years to companies that hire apprentices through a state-approved program.

“This state has the largest aerospace cluster in the world, but there are other regions throughout the world trying to attract these jobs,” said Larry Brown, the local Machinists’ legislative director. “This would help ensure we maintain our competitive advantage, with the largest, most highly skilled aerospace workforce in the world.”

The tax break would be capped at $500,000.

The bill is aimed at creating an ongoing pipeline of trained workers to the state’s aerospace companies. Boeing and the state’s 600 other aerospace-related companies could see large numbers of retirements by skilled workers in the coming decade.

For more the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Council and its program, read this Herald profile from last year.

For more on the workforce challenges ahead for the aerospace industry, read stories from last May’s edition of Boeing’s Year produced by The Herald.

Read
House Bill 1682, on the aerospace apprentice tax break.