Yikes! Resources are tight. Demand for quality services is high. Jobs have become more technical and complex. We must do more with less. How can this be accomplished? Training to increase knowledge, hone skills and shape attitudes is a part of the answer.

In October of 1999 thirteen participants gathered together around the question of "How can we share ideas, resources and expertise to accomplish our missions?" That meeting marked the birth of Training Resource And Information Network (TRAIN).

TRAIN is a consortium of local, state and federal governmental agencies whose mission is to improve the quality of public services by developing, accessing, and expanding learning resources for public agencies and their employees.

The group meets regularly to identify needs or challenges and corresponding resources. As a result, a number of collaborations have occurred over the past years. Partnering has happened many times between Pierce County Human Resources Organizational Development and Training, Cities of Puyallup, Edgewood, Tacoma, University Place, and Lakewood, the Tacoma/Pierce County Health Department, BATES Technical College, Clover Park Technical College and Tacoma Community College. Because of this partnering, employees from all agencies have had increased access to training, facilitated meetings, conferences and special seminars.

Read our vision and plans for future development in our Strategic Plan.

TRAIN hopes to see this concept grow across our state and beyond. The Kitsap County area formed a similar organization in 2003. There is a group in the Edmonds area, Puget Sound Public Institute; Federal Executive Board in the Seattle area; and Eastside Cities Training Consortium.