SKILLS2COMPETE - WASHINGTON STATE

The Skills2Compete-Washington campaign seeks to raise awareness of the need to train Washington residents for middle-skill jobs, which require more than high school but less than a four-year degree. These jobs make up the largest portion of Washington's labor market. Employers struggle to find workers who can fill these jobs, while many Washington workers are unable to access the training and education needed to obtain these jobs.

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Publications

Washington's Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs (Kermit Kaleba and Andrea Mayo, June 2008)
Report | Press Release
This analysis reveals that middle-skill jobs make up nearly half of the jobs in Washington's labor market. Without greater investments in education and skills training, future growth in the supply of educated workers will likely fall short of the growth in labor market demand. 

Capitol Hill Briefing

On September 24, 2008, the Skills2Compete-Washington campaign held a briefing on Capitol Hill for members and staff of the Washington Congressional Delegation. Hosted by Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), panelists examined the importance of middle-skill jobs in Washington’s economy, the factors underlying the shortages of qualified workers for these well-paying jobs, and the steps federal policymakers can take to help states address these needs.

Click here to view photos from the Washington Hill Briefing

Other Resources

Policy Brief: Postsecondary Career and Technical Education Works 
From the Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board. Job forecast showing that over the next five to seven years, Washington State employers will need more workers with some form of postsecondary vocational training than any other educational level.

Postsecondary Skill Fact or Fiction
From the Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board.  This media kit provides data that dispels the notion that Washington needs more BAs and shows instead that state employers need more workers with technical skills and credentials.

Skills2Compete-Washington Steering Committee

State Leads
Marlena Sessions & Margret Graham, Workforce Development Council of Seattle - King County
Jessie Hogg, The Workforce Alliance

Core Advisors
Gemma Aronchick, Microsoft Corporation
Patrick Baldoz, South Central Workforce Council
Susan Crane, Office of Port JOBS
Robert Fiano, The Boeing Company
Maria Garrido, University of Washington
Malcolm Grothe, South Seattle Community College
Tony Lee, Solid Ground
Keith Marler, South Seattle Community College
Dan McConnon, Walla Walla Community College
Holly Moore, E&W Solutions
Jesse Rodriguez, CANAM
Juliet Scarpa, Seattle Jobs Initiative
John Walstrum, Clover Park Technical College
Walt Yeager, BRD Corp.

Washington State Endorsing Organizations
AFL-CIO Washington State
AWB Institute
Benton-Franklin WDC
Building Changes
Business Resource Development Corp.
Canam Steel Corporation
Education & Workforce Solutions
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
King County Labor Council
Labor Institute for Training (LIFT)
Port Jobs
Seattle Jobs Initiative
Seattle-King County Workforce Development Council
Seidelhuber Iron Works
SEIU Healthcare 775NW
SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW
SEIU Healthcare NW Training Trust
Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, NW Council
Solid Ground
South Central Workforce Council
Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council
Spokane Area Workforce Development Council
Tacoma-Pierce County Employment and Training Consortium and WIB
Worker Center, AFL-CIO