District Workforce Development Newsletter - November 2025

Seattle Central College recently hosted a vibrant and inspiring Family Night, welcoming 105 attendees, including 40 families, to campus for an evening of learning, connection, and community. The event brought together high school students, their families, college staff, and current Central student, and Seattle Public Schools staff all united in supporting the next generation of scholars.

Throughout the evening, families explored key programs designed to guide students toward academic and career success. Representatives from Seattle Promise, Financial Aid, and CTE Pathways provided helpful information, answered questions, and shared valuable resources to help students confidently prepare for their transition into college. Families learned what steps to take now, what support systems are available, and how Seattle Central can help them reach their goals.

One of the highlights of the night was the student panel, where current Central students shared honest and uplifting stories about navigating college life. Their perspectives gave high school students a real look at what to expect, offering advice on study habits, campus resources, balancing responsibilities, and finding community. Many families expressed how meaningful it was to hear directly from students who have walked the same path.

The evening ended with everyone coming together for a shared dinner, creating space for meaningful conversations, new friendships, and a sense of belonging. Students, families, and staff sat side by side, celebrating both the journey ahead and the community that will support them along the way.

Family Night showcased the heart of Seattle Central College—connection, opportunity, and the belief that when we learn together, we grow together. 

Building on the resounding success of last year's inaugural run, the Workforce Development team celebrated a major milestone this week at The Hangar, launching the second cohort of the Alaska Airlines Mentorship Program (AMT). This year, 32 students have been matched with dedicated mentors, beginning a cycle of skill-building and—in an exciting expansion of the program—paid job shadowing designed to bridge the gap between education and the workforce.

Spearheaded by Career Specialist Willow Schooler, whose dedication was instrumental in launching the pilot program and guiding the first cohort to graduation last July, this initiative continues to refine the connection between Seattle Colleges talent and industry needs. Schooler’s efforts in coordinating these complex partnerships ensure that students not only receive technical insights but also build the "soft skills" and professional networks that are vital for long-term career success. 

Each participating student has been matched with a dedicated mentor from Alaska Airlines, creating meaningful one-to-one relationships. These mentors bring a wealth of knowledge from across aviation and technical fields, offering students a direct window into professional life. The energy at The Hangar during the kickoff was unmistakable—students were eager to learn, and mentors were clearly excited to give back to the next generation of technicians. 

Beyond mentorship, the addition of paid job-shadowing experiences allows students to observe real workplace settings and explore specialized roles without financial barriers. As Willow Schooler noted during the first cohort's graduation, programs like these are often "just the beginning" for our students. We are proud to support these 32 exceptional young people as they embark on this journey of growth and achievement.

If you have recently sat in a restaurant, airport lounge, or around a conference table, you may have enjoyed the quality craftsmanship QA Group has been building since 1936. QA Group is the largest commercial furniture manufacturer in the Northwest with an over 75,000 square foot factory. It has a reputation for creating exquisite and durable upholstered seating for three distinct customer segments: custom restaurant furniture, large-scale commercial furniture installations, and commercial re-upholstery. Our Corporate Training team recently checked in with QA Group to see how progress on their Job Skills Program (JSP) grant training was going. What we found was a company with highly skilled employees, some of whom have worked at QA Group for over 25 years.

QA Group recently implemented a new Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP) that has the capability of managing and streamlining their operations, including purchasing and supply chain, receiving, sales and order entry, production, shipping, customer service and accounting. However, they had a significant need for company-wide training to learn how to fully utilize their new ERP system. The Seattle Colleges Corporate Training department was awarded a Job Skills Program grant by the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges to partner with training vendors and college instructors to provide the training to meet this need. Employees across the company will go through over 1000 hours of training in ERP basics, best practices, testing and validation, and effectively transitioning and operating a newly improved ERP system across all departments. Additionally, a number of employees will be trained in Project Management, Leadership, and Train-the-Trainer.

During our recent visit, the Corporate Training team was able to observe training on Process Improvement, delivered by Kocer Engineering. We also toured the facility to see the variety of projects QA Group is working on and meet some of the employees. The Seattle Colleges Corporate and Customized Training team is proud to partner with a long-established company and its loyal and long-serving professional team. We are excited to see the changes and growth QA Group will experience through the ERP, Project Management, and Leadership training.