On September 11, nearly 200 stakeholders gathered at North Seattle Community College at an Opportunity Nation Summit to learn how Pathways to Careers is preparing a skilled workforce for high demand jobs in Business Information Technology; Healthcare; Manufacturing and Industrial Skills; and International Trade, Transportation and Logistics. Representatives from business, education, workforce development, government and labor organizations discussed the importance of aligning their investments to make our local workforce more employable and businesses more competitive.
Costco founder Jim Sinegal, fresh from his speech at the Democratic National Convention, shared his business and management philosophies. Mark Edwards, Opportunity Nation executive director, spoke on the need to expand educational opportunity to historically under-resourced and low-income school districts and the relationship between educational opportunity and economic mobility. Mayor McGinn emphasized the importance of bringing government, labor, business and education partners together around a shared goal of education attainment, because education attainment overall makes workers more employable, and firms more competitive. Alison Peters, founder of Alison Peters Consulting, presented findings from the Seattle Chamber's Job Sector Survey and moderated a panel representing Pathways to Careers partners.
The response was overwhelmingly positive and Summit attendees walked away with a commitment to participate in the initiative. We are in the process of compiling feedback that will inform our next steps and look forward to your involvement. Please visit this page for updates. In the meantime, click on the links in the right-hand column to watch a webcast of the event and the Pathways to Careers story, read Alison Peters' presentation, view photographs from the Summit and complete an online form to get involved in this exciting new initiative.
Get Involved – We need Employer Champions, let us know how you want to get involved by completing the Online Form.
Thanks to: North Seattle Community College Aaron Good and the team at The Production Network Seattle Community Colleges Television Maria Lamarca Anderson Joe Orsillo
Green for the 21st Century in Seattle
Innovations in curriculum and operations have earned the 2009 Green Washington Award for the Seattle Community Colleges – Central, North and South. All three colleges are active members of the Seattle Climate Partnership and North was an early signer of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. A district-wide Chancellor’s Sustainability Initiative provides energy, focus and a forum for emerging training and initiatives.
Sustainability is infused into programs ranging from urban agriculture at Central to environmental science, real estate and building management across the district. Students have funded a sustainability coordinator. Campus activities include reducing the carbon footprint and promoting recycling and energy conservation, which earned a “Recycler of the Year” award for South. Last year, the college culinary operations diverted 31 tons of materials to a regional composting facility – which returned the compost to “green” the college landscape.
For more information visit www.seattlecolleges.edu/green
Helping displaced workers to ‘Start Next Quarter’
During the economic downturn, thousands of displaced workers turned to the Seattle Community Colleges at the same time regional employers reported a need for skilled workers to fill jobs in the new economy. To help both potential workers and employers, the Seattle Community Colleges developed Start Next Quarter (SNQ), a two-part initiative designed to improve the success of dislocated workers who enroll in technical education programs. SNQ invites prospective students to assess their eligibility for workforce funding online and connects them to a comprehensive two-day college success workshop held at each campus. The workshops are based on a model developed at one of the district campuses. Students who complete the workshop are more likely to complete their training programs and to obtain jobs using their new skills. The project was developed in part through a grant from the League for Innovation, funded by the Walmart Foundation Bright Futures project to serve displaced workers.
Visit www.startnextquarter.org
A Model for the Region
The Opportunity Center for Employment and Education at North Seattle Community College is a regional resource and the first integrated service center of its kind in Washington state. Since the OCE&E opened its doors in spring 2011, more than 40,000 people have come for one-stop help in finding a new job, career retraining or to sign up for public assistance benefits. Founding partners were the state Departments of Social and Health Services and Employment Security, the college, and the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County. The campus and the new LEED Gold Certified 45,000-square foot facility are in the heart of Seattle’s north end and close to a major transit hub. House Speaker Frank Chopp and Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney (sponsor of the legislation and a former Seattle District trustee) championed the OCE&E in the state legislature. The center aims to provide streamlined services in a positive environment, helping clients succeed in the next stage of their lives.