But . . . only if we focus on customized training for individual companies, and upgrading existing employee skills. In the longer term, we have our work cut out for us to enhance academic and technical curricula in our high schools, our community colleges and to offer advanced engineering degrees at our institutions of higher education. Formal training, supported by these companies, now makes that possible for many Portland area residents. In the arena of higher education, work continues on solving the dilemma of too few qualified engineering graduates. This continues to be one of our major challenges.
Business development is the companion to workforce development.
We have been able to attract a critical mass of electronics firms to form a manufacturing critical mass across our region . . . These companies feed such final product manufacturers as Cray Research, Epson, NEC and locally originated companies such as Planar Systems, Sequent Computer, Sentrol, and more as demonstrated on the next board. In all, it's a continuum of companies of differing ages, sizes and products. Combined, they create a revenue growth rate for Oregon of three times that of the national median for this industry. And, from the international perspective, nearly half of their revenues are derived from exports outside North America.