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Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries today made recommendations to the state legislature on how to improve diversity in the field of construction across the state.

As part of its biannual report, , BOLI recommends that the legislature increase funding for pre-apprenticeship programs, reinvest in training at the middle and high school levels, and implement workforce and hiring goals statewide. The report also stated that the state should consider alternatives to low-bid procurement and appropriate funding for comprehensive data collection and analysis.

The biannual report stems from 2007 legislation that established a state goal to increase diversity among workers employed on public improvement projects. The idea is to increase the number of women and people of color on such public projects. Through the legislation BOLI was charged with developing a plan and reporting regularly on recommended steps to increasing diversity on such projects.

As part of the report, Brad Avakian, commissioner of BOLI, pointed out that it’s not only those workers whose opportunities are being limited, but also the Oregon communities that lose out on the contribution of potential role models for the next generation of workers.

BOLI officials said the next report would most likely present firm proposals for meaningful legislation to increase diversity on projects covered by state prevailing wage rate law.