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The Workforce Board meets Wednesday to discuss new research, the state strategic workforce plan and more.

November News

TOP NEWS

New research, state strategic plan featured at Wednesday Workforce Board meeting

Updates on the latest employer survey and the state strategic workforce plan are coming up at Wednesday's Workforce Board meeting. 

The Workforce Board's latest Employer Needs and Practices Survey will be presented by Principal Researcher Coral Garey. Board members will also discuss next steps for Talent and Prosperity for All, the state strategic workforce plan. Watch live on TVW starting at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Rural youth pathways to health careers focus of Thursday Health Workforce Council meeting 

Thursday's Health Workforce Council meeting features updates on work to reduce delays issuing credentials for healthcare professionals, among other topics. The council will also discuss the Rural Nursing Education Program, as well as annual recommendations to policymakers on rural youth pathways to health careers, student debt and childcare.

The council's work this year is focused on developing policies that help rural students and workers advance their careers without having to leave their communities. The Health Workforce Council is convened by the Workforce Board and addresses current and projected health workforce shortages. Watch on TVW starting at 9 a.m. Thursday.

OTHER NEWS 

Trade schools surge as artificial intelligence expands

Many job seekers are turning to skilled trades as the white-collar labor market remains uncertain, KUOW reports.

State officials reported nearly 16,000 apprentices in the skilled trades last year, up from 8,900 in 2014. Pre-apprenticeship programs in Seattle Public Schools have strong enrollment and are expanding. Apprenticeship training programs report record enrollment. 

The Workforce Board's Workforce Training Results show apprenticeships offer an outstanding return on investment for job seekers, and taxpayers. Learn more.

More than 1 million job openings: Ford CEO highlights skilled worker shortage

Ford CEO Jim Farley recently made headlines discussing this challenge facing the company: More than 5,000 mechanic job openings remain unfilled. The jobs pay $120,000 a year.

“We are in trouble in our country. We are not talking about this enough,” Farley said. Read more.

EVENTS AND RESOURCES 

Learn new skills and get certified with the Washington State Library

The Washington State Library provides a variety of free online classes that allow Washingtonians to learn new skills and gain certifications. Northstar Digital Skills Assessments, LinkedIn Learning, Microsoft LEARN and other classes allow users to learn new software, language, information technology and other skills. Visit your local library or sign up for a state library card here.

New web page features resources for workforce professionals 

The Workforce Board has launched a new web page with resources for workforce system professionals, including online maps for food banks, information for furloughed and laid off workers, consumer information and more. Have an idea? Send us a note.

Research Spotlight: Professional and technical education at community and technical colleges  

Washington's community and technical colleges deliver outstanding results for the state economy, the Workforce Board's research shows.

Nearly 84,000 students studied professional technical education in the most recent period surveyed. Examples include skilled trades like welding, carpentry, health professions and more. On average, people who participated in this training earned an additional $17,000 per year due to the program. And the impact to Washington's economy is significant: $17 billion over 10 years. Learn more about professional technical education and other workforce programs at the Workforce Training Results web page.

As the holidays approach, many Washington food banks face record demand. Connect with your local food bank to volunteer or donate.