PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 
COMMISSION AGENDA               Item No.      7a 
STAFF BRIEFING 
Date of Meeting    November 11, 2014 
DATE:    October 30, 2014 
TO:     Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:    Luis Navarro, Director, Office of Social Responsibility 
SUBJECT:  Workforce Development Strategy 
SYNOPSIS 
In adopting the Century Agenda in 2013, the Port affirmed its commitment to workforce
development as an integral part of the Port's larger economic development goals and
strategies. The Port Commission also finds that workforce development is critical to the
Port's primary mission, because it will increase the economic mobility of workers in
King County by giving workers increased opportunities to acquire the skills and
educational credentials they need to compete for better compensated and/or more
desirable jobs and increase the supply of qualified candidates for job openings with
employers at the Airport and Seaport, as well as with employers in the surrounding
aviation and maritime industries. The Office of Social Responsibility (OSR) has
completed an analysis of the opportunities for the Port to remain an important contributor
in regional workforce development systems. The recommendations were guided by a
review conducted by the Port's legal department regarding legal risks for the Port as it
expands its investment in regional Port-related  workforce development, and by
recommendations from expert consultants in the area of workforce development. OSR
will complete a strategic plan by the end of April 2015, for presentation to the CEO and
the Commission. 

BACKGROUND 
The Port has a long history of, and an interest in, supporting workforce development
efforts in Port-related activities in order to achieve economic development goals for our
region and to help workers in port related sectors. The Port Commission has built on this
long history of support by making workforce development a priority for Port staff
through public pronouncements and direction to staff. 
The Port currently contracts with a non-profit organization called Port Jobs for workforce
development services. Programs funded by the Port in 2014 through this contract with
Port Jobs include: Airport Jobs/Aviation Employment Center, Airport University,
Apprenticeship Opportunities Project, and fishing industry engineer endorsement
training. The Port also funded youth maritime career support and a jointly funded
research project with the City of Seattle, regarding workforce needs of the construction
industry. The Port creates job training opportunities by setting apprenticeship utilization

Template revised May 30, 2013.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
October 30, 2014 
Page 2 of 7 
goals for the Port's contractors, including goals for women and minority participation on
Port-owned construction projects. The Port also hires high school and college interns.
OSR staff met with leaders of other workforce development organizations to explore
opportunities for collaboration. 
On July 1, 2014, the Port Commission further affirmed its commitment to regional
workforce development in Port-related  industries by adopting a motion increasing 
activities related to workforce development and career opportunities The Commission
also directed the CEO to present "policies necessary to implement the workforce
development strategic plan", describing all actions by the Commission necessary to
continue and/or expand the Port's workforce development program (the Program). The
plan will include; implementation phasing, funding sources, contract types, expected
outputs and outcomes, and an affirmative policy to induce construction contractors to hire
socio-economically disadvantaged persons to work on Port-owned construction projects
and to select socio-economically disadvantaged persons for openings in apprenticeship
programs. 
According to the consultants, the Port of Seattle can effectively promote expansion of
Port-related industry sectors, economic self-sufficiency and employment equity, increase
safety, security, and the welfare of the workforce, and strengthen the capacity to meet its
standards for hiring, training, and English proficiency. To do so, they recommended that
the Port pursue the strategies described in their full report to achieve the five guiding
goals identified in the motion approved by the Commissioners in July 2014 on Increasing
Workforce Development and Career Opportunities Activities: 
Guiding Goals 
1.  Identify the current and future workforce demands of Port-related industries. 
2.  Support the development of a supply of qualified candidates in alignment with
industry demand. 
3.  Ensure that all members of the community the Port serves have access to quality jobs
in Port-related industries, and increased opportunities for career advancement. 
4.  Work to make all jobs at Port-owned facilities quality jobs. 
5.  Integrate the Port's efforts and use its influence to increase the capacity and
efficiency of the regional workforce development system. 
The recommendations also focus on the following target industry sectors and
employment sites at the Port: (1) Airport-related: Passenger air, air cargo, and connected
sub sectors such as logistics, maintenance; restaurant/hospitality/retail; (2) Maritimerelated
: Fishing, marine cargo, logistics, cruise, ferry, and tug; and (3) Construction:
Airport, maritime and non-port projects. Logistics is an important sector and it is found
both in airport and maritime; and career pathways address occupations in each sector.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
October 30, 2014 
Page 3 of 7 
The strategies recommended build upon the Port's role as an anchor institution for the
region. The strategies leverage five ways anchor institutions around the country affect
economic and employment outcomes for their communities: 
Purchaser: institutional purchasing toward local business as a buyer of goods and
services. 
Employer: offering employment opportunities to local residents. 
Workforce Developer: addressing workforce needs of the cluster. 
Champion in relationship to Port-related industry sectors: stimulating growth of
related businesses and institutions in the community. 
Property Owner and Developer: using Port-owned facilities and real estate
development to anchor local economic growth. 
In developing the draft of the Port's workforce development strategy, OSR consulted
with Port staff, Port executives and Commissioners for additional guidance. OSR also
requested and obtained in June 2014, a legal risk assessment and review of legal authority
to expand programs currently operated by the non-profit Port Jobs under its contract with
the Port. If the Commission remains interested in expanding workforce development, the
following steps have been recommended: 
1.  Publish a clear and comprehensive description of the Program, including the specific
services that the Commission intends to fund and the source of funds to pay for those
services. 
2.  Publish facts that demonstrate how the Program falls within the statutory safe harbor. 
3.  Publish a statement about the Commission's goals and intent in funding the Program. 
4.  Adopt a resolution describing the policies necessary to implement the expansion of
Port-funded, or sponsored workforce development efforts and generally related to the
Commission's quality jobs initiative that: 
(i)     Includes the Commission's goals and describes intent; 
(ii)    Incorporates the published description of the Program; 
(iii)    Finds that the program falls within the statutory safe harbor; 
(iv)   Explains how the Program would serve the Commission's goals and finds
that the Program would serve and advance the Commission's goals; 
(v)    Directs that the Port fund specific services, noting the source of funds;

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
October 30, 2014 
Page 4 of 7 
(vi)   Directs staff to incorporate into applicable contracts provision(s) to assure
that funds are only used for approved programs. 
The Port Commission does not intend to duplicate the workforce development efforts and
initiatives of the state, other local governments in King County, or the Seattle-King
County workforce development council or existing non-profits in serving the people of
King County; and the Port Commission desires to use Port funding and Port influence to
focus on (1) access to job openings with employers at the Airport and Port-owned
property surrounding the Airport, the Seaport terminals and industrial properties, and
Port-owned marinas and Fisherman's Terminal; (2) career advancement of the incumbent
workforce at Port-owned facilities and properties; (3) pre-apprenticeship training open to
all persons in King County who may be deemed socio-economically; and (4) financial
assistance to socio-economically disadvantaged persons in King County who are enrolled
in a Port-sponsored pre-apprenticeship program, or selected as apprentices and enrolled
in an approved apprenticeship program in the construction trades; (5) increasing
awareness in the regional education system, particularly through schools and community
colleges, of job opportunities in the aviation and maritime sectors. 

PROGRAM ELEMENTS 
The proposed elements for Commission consideration are an increase of the existing
efforts into the three sectors; Airport, Maritime and Construction plus additional
elements. The following is a review of the Program elements: 
1.  Pre-apprenticeship Training 
This is an existing element. The recommendation is for the pre-apprenticeship
training program to remain open to all residents of King County who qualify as socioeconomically
disadvantaged persons. Increased funding may be recommended. 
2.  Financial Assistance to Complete Apprenticeship Training  Construction Trades 
This is an existing element. The Port provides funding to a non-profit for the purpose
of distributing financial assistance to socio-economically disadvantaged persons
residing in King County who are hired as apprentices and enrolled in apprenticeship
training programs in the construction trades to enable their continued participation in
and graduation from such programs. Increased funding may be recommended. 
3.  Financial Assistance to Obtain Educational Credentials 
This is an expanded existing element. Currently the Port funds Airport University
providing a minimum level of college credit and specific course at the airport. The
Port may provide financial assistance to the incumbent workforce at Port-owned

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
October 30, 2014 
Page 5 of 7 
facilities and properties to attain educational credentials such as Associate of Arts
and Bachelor of Arts degrees or certain other credentials specifically recognized by
the aviation, maritime and construction industries. Staff will recommend the types of
degrees and/or industry-specific credentials that employers in the aviation, maritime
and construction industries prefer when making their hiring decisions, and the
procedures for awarding scholarships to individuals within the incumbent workforce. 
4.  On-site Classes at Port-Owned Facilities 
This is an expanded existing element. There are currently on-site classes, as part of
the Airport University. The Port may expand this option by sponsoring, through a
contract with a community college or a non-profit provider, on-site classes at the
Airport, Fisherman's Terminal, Shilshole Bay Marina or other Port-owned facilities.
The incumbent workforce at Port-owned facilities and properties may attend such onsite
classes free of charge. Increased funding will be necessary. 
5.  Career Coaching and Navigation Services 
This is a new element. The Port may sponsor, through a contract with a community
or technical college or a non-profit provider, career coaching and navigation services 
at Port-owned facilities and properties. The purpose is to assist incumbent workers in
identifying the educational or other credential they need to advance in their careers 
and map their career goals. 
6.  Career Fairs/Meet-and-Greets 
This is a new element. The Port may sponsor career fairs/meet-and-greets to provide
opportunities for the incumbent workforce to meet other potential employers
operating at or leasing or licensing the use of Port-owned facilities and properties
who may have job openings that represent career advancement. The Port may also
participate in regional job fairs to promote employment in port related sectors. 
7.  Increasing Access to Jobs 
This is an expanded existing element. The Port may promote equality of opportunity
for all King County residents to compete for job openings that employers at Portowned
facilities and properties may have by increasing and improving advertisement
of job openings, outreach to employers to encourage advertisement of job openings,
and outreach to communities in King County with higher concentrations of socioeconomically
disadvantaged persons and assistance with the job application for socioeconomically
disadvantaged persons.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
October 30, 2014 
Page 6 of 7 
8.  Participation in the Regional Education System 
This is a new element. The Port acting as a convener, may sponsor workshops and
conferences that bring together educators and education leaders from school districts
and community colleges located within King County, as well as hiring managers and
business leaders from the aviation and maritime industries for the purpose of
facilitating collaboration amongst stakeholders in workforce development. 
9.  Increased Partnerships 
The Port will seek to strengthen existing partnerships and to develop new and
relevant partnerships that will support the program elements. Examples include
increased coordination with tenants like Alaska Airlines, and the development of new
collaboration opportunities with organizations like the Workforce Development of
Seattle and King County, and other public agencies, etc.. 
10. Proactive Legislative Efforts 
The Port may develop and recommend legislation to the Washington State
Legislature to further expand the Port's legal authority to engage in workforce
development. 

11. Port Actions 
An important element is the actions that the Port Commission and Port staff can take
to support the Program, including using its influence as a convener and as an
economic development agency to support and promote regional workforce
development in Port sectors. Examples include; the expansion of internships and
fellowships opportunities at the Port, participation in relevant regional forums,
conferences and important discussions related to workforce development organized
by other stakeholders, and regional awareness of the importance of the need of a
qualified workforce that can meet the future demands of the employers in Port-related
sectors. 

FUNDING 
OSR staff will include in the strategic plan recommendations for the funding of the
Program for review by the CEO and the Commission. Sources may include; Port general
funds, including use of airport revenue, tax levy, contributions from tenants and other
potential sources.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
October 30, 2014 
Page 7 of 7 

PHASING 
There are three proposed main elements of the Program, which will be conducted in
phases, as follows: (1) Market analysis to identify the current and future workforce
demands of Port-related industries; (2) solicitation and award of contracts by sector;
Aviation, Maritime and Construction; and (3) annual evaluation of outputs and outcomes. 

MONITORING AND REPORTING 
Program monitoring will include contract deliverables and outcomes analysis and
reporting. The Commission will receive annual reports of the outcomes achieved from
the use of Port staff resources, Port-owned facilities as well as Port funding, including;
demographics of people served by Port funding, numbers of persons who are provided
financial assistance by the Port to attain their credentials and degrees, numbers of persons
who are provided on-site classes at Port-owned facilities free of charge to obtain college
credits or to build their skills, number of persons who are provided free career coaching
and navigation services, n of persons who apply to jobs through the Port-sponsored job
board, and number of employers participating in advertising their job openings through
the Port-sponsored job board, number of job vacancies filled through use of the Portsponsored
job board; number of persons provided financial assistance by the Port to
complete apprenticeship training in the construction trades, number of persons enrolled in
the Port-sponsored pre-apprenticeship program; geographical mapping to show where
persons provided financial assistance by the Port reside; and geographical mapping to
show where persons provided with services such as career coaching and navigation, onsite
classes at Port-owned facilities reside. Other metrics will be evaluated and included
in the final strategic plan. 

ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING 
Computer slide presentation 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
July 1, 2014 Commission adoption of Workforce Development Motion 
September 30, 2014 OSR briefing of consultant's recommendations 
December 4, 2012 Commission adoption of the Century Agenda