Published: Thursday, March 28, 2013, 12:01 a.m.

They said efforts to enlarge training programs, expand enrollment in college engineering and computer science courses and reform workers compensation, as desired by the industry, are all on the table for action in the final weeks of the legislative session.

But with a budget shortfall, and political differences between the House and Senate, they may not all get done unless the aerospace leaders inject themselves aggressively into the debate, lawmakers cautioned.

"I'm here to give you a reality check," Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, told a gathering of the Aerospace Futures Alliance, which lobbies on behalf of the industry. "I really need you guys to fight for aerospace like you do every day but you'll have to be a little more forceful, you'll have to be a little louder."

Washington state is home to more than 650 aerospace companies, including the Boeing Co., Aviation Technical Services of Everett and ElectroImpact of Mukilteo. The industry employs approximately 97,800 people in Washington.

Lawmakers and Gov. Jay Inslee paraded before 75 members of the alliance which is made up of representatives from aerospace companies, government and education.

"What I saw for aerospace is the commitment that they have made to the aerospace industry is significant and will allow us to move forward in a real positive way," said Linda Lanham, executive director of the alliance.

Hobbs and two Republican senators, Janea Holmquist Newbry of Moses Lake and Mark Schoesler of Ritzville, warned revisions in the workers compensation program passed by the Senate are in danger because of political differences with the Democrat-controlled House.

House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, said significant changes made to the program in the last two years need time to take root first.

He focused on the House desire to invest in building a new aerospace training center in Renton and beefing up a program to provide low-interest loans to students of the Washington Aerospace Training and Research Center at Paine Field.

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Aerospace executives urged to fight for more help