7b Attachment WFD Strategic Plan

Item No. 7b attach 2 
Meeting Date: July 14, 2020 
Workforce Development 
Strategic Plan 
2021-2023 




Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion 

Date: July 7, 2020 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 
I.   Executive Summary 
II.   Introduction/Overview 
Workforce Development Policy Directive guided the strategic plan 
OEDI/Workforce Development Team 
Centering equity, diversity and inclusion 
Workforce development vision and mission 
III. Strategic Planning Process 
Review of current strategies and programs 
Community listening sessions 
Sessions with internal and external partners 
Results of investments analysis, etc. 
IV. Landscape Analysis 
Regional economic and labor market assessment 
Community input 
Workforce development system analysis 
COVID-19 impact and response/recovery 
V.  Workforce Development Sector Strategies 
Aviation Sector 
Construction Trades Sector 
Maritime Sector 
Green Careers/Jobs Sector 
VI. Plan Administration 
Staffing 
Budget 






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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
Introduction 
At the request of the Port of Seattle Commission, the staff in the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 
(OEDI) initiated the process of developing a Workforce Development Strategic Plan (WFD Plan) for three 
years (2021-2033). The WFD Plan development was g uided by the  provision of the Workforce
Development Policy Directive scheduled for approval on July 14, 2020.
The WFD Plan ensures that the Port's workforce development investments and activities produce
outcomes that support a skilled workforce in Port related industries, and that workforce development
programs create equitable access for all, and the WFD Plan includes a detailed analysis of the regional
landscape, and an in-depth analysis of strategic Port investments for 2015-2019, and the proposed
investments for 2021-2023. 
Covid-19 Impacts 
During the plan development, the impacts of COVID 19 became clear. Therefore, the team has included
appropriate adjustments to the Port investments to ensure that those community most impacted are
provided with access to training and education and career opportunities in port industries and activities
to assist them with the recovery. 
Community Engagement 
Significant engagement occurred with internal and external workforce development stakeholders
including, Port staff, community-based organizations, individuals who received services from those
organizations, labor and industry partners. The feedback informed many of the proposed strategies. Staff
in OEID will meet at regular intervals with those stakeholders to ensure that we are providing
transparency and accountability. 
The Workforce Development Policy Directive 
The purpose of the Workforce Development Policy Directive is to fulfil Century Agenda strategic
objectives by increasing equitable access for workers in port-related economic activities such as 
maritime,  aviation,  construction  trades,  green  careers,  and  other  economic  sectors,  creating
opportunities for workers to acquire the skills, experience, and education they need to secure
increasingly complex and better compensated jobs and careers; and guiding the workforce development
efforts of the Port of Seattle to benefit near-port communities, Port customers and tenants, and portrelated
economic activities.
Staffing and Budget 
The WDF Plan includes the addition of Program Managers for Maritime and Construction, Aviation, Youth
and Green Careers, as well as, adding a senior analyst to support the database analysis and reporting.
The proposed budget for 2021-2023 is $11.7 million and includes the staffing costs and investments by
sector (maritime, aviation, construction trades, and green careers). Each strategy and activity in each
sector have been priced accordingly. 
Conclusion 
This WFD Plan is the culmination of significant analysis guided by the Port Commission, the Sr. OEDI
Director and supported by consultant Bob Watrus, Port staff and community and industry partners, and
it affirms the Port's commitment to workforce development in Port related industries. 

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BACKGROUND 

I.     Introduction/Overview 
The Port of Seattle 
Founded in 1911 by a vote of the people as a special purpose government, the Port of Seattle's
mission is committed to creating opportunity for all, stewarding our environment responsibly,
partnering with surrounding communities, promoting social responsibility, conducting ourselves
transparently and holding ourselves accountable. 
The Port of Seattle is a leader in moving people and cargo across the country and around the world.
With facilities and property ranging in scope from a half-acre park to one of the largest airports and
container terminals on the West Coast, we maximize the public assets in our portfolio with an eye
toward best uses and environmental sustainability. 
Mission 
Our mission is to promote economic opportunities and quality of life in the region by advancing 
trade, travel, commerce and job creation in an equitable, accountable and environmentally
responsible manner. 
Vision 
Our vision is to add 100,000 jobs through economic growth led by the Port, for a total of
300,000 Port-related jobs in the region, while reducing our environmental footprint. We are
committed to creating opportunity for all, stewarding our environment responsibly, partnering
with surrounding communities, promoting social responsibility, conducting ourselves
transparently and holding ourselves accountable. 
Previous Commission Actions 
For decades, the Port of Seattle has made significant commitments to expand our involvement in
the regional workforce development efforts. The Port was one of the first public agency to directly
support investments in pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs. The Port Commission has
continued to affirm its commitment by authorizing financial and people resources dedicated to
supporting regional workforce development. For example, the Port was a founding member of the
non-profit organization Port Jobs, which has been providing training to incumbent workers since
1992, and access to job seekers into Port related jobs, with outreach efforts in under-represented
communities. 
The Century Agenda 
Adopted in December 2012, and revised in April 2018, the Port Commission affirmed its
commitment to workforce development as an integral part of achieving economic growth.
Strategy 3 of the Century Agenda states, "Use the Port's influence as an institution to promote
women and minority business enterprise (WMBE) growth, small business growth, and workforce
development". The strategy objectives include the increase of workforce training, job, and
business opportunities for local communities in trade, travel, and logistics. 

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Motion on Increasing Workforce Development and Career Opportunities Activities 
Adopted in July 2014, the motion articulates the Port's major goals for workforce development
and directed the Port leadership to develop strategies to achieve them. The motion states that
Port of Seattle believes that workforce development is critical to achieving the Port's primary
mission to serve as an economic development agency generating quality, family-wage jobs and
economic growth for the region and increasing operational efficiency and economic mobility. 
Resolution 3746 Priority Hire Directive (As Amended) 
Adopted in April 2018, amending the Policy Directive adopted by Resolution 3725, with the
purpose of providing good family wage jobs to qualified construction workers from
Economically Distressed Areas of King County by increasing access to Port of Seattle Covered
Projects. This leads to economic growth and job creation in areas of King County that are
experiencing economic distress. In addition, it provides jobs to those historically
underrepresented in the construction industry, such as women and people of color. The
Priority Hire program is implemented through a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) and in
cooperation with the Regional Public Owners Group (RPO) to ensure uniform application of
Priority Hire terms and Contractor and Union compliance with Priority Hire requirements. 
The Century Agenda 
Adopted in December 2012, it affirms the Port's commitment to workforce development as an
integral part of achieving economic growth. Strategy 3 of the Century Agenda states "Use the
Port's influence as an institution to promote women and minority business enterprise (WMBE)
growth, small business growth, and workforce development". The strategy objectives include the
increase of workforce training, job, and business opportunities for local communities in trade,
travel, and logistics. 
Equity and Workforce Development Special Commission Committee 
Established in February 2020, the committee expands the previous Workforce Development
Committee by providing information, advice, and recommendations about the port's equity,
workforce development, and career connected learning programs and policies, and diversity in
contracting goals. The committee also monitors the implementation of the Port's Diversity in
Contracting policy, and review and recommend to the commission policies that provide
economic development opportunities to women- and minority-owned business enterprises
based on equity principles. ` 
Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 
In 2019, the Port of Seattle created the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (OEDI), charged with
ensuring that equity goals are incorporated throughout Port operations and providing strategic and
policy direction on equity issues, and in October 2019, the workforce development program was
transferred to OEDI. The OEDI Strategic Plan includes the following foundational principles: 
Leadership deepening understanding about equity and anti-racism through trainings,
workshops, and speaker events. 
As an agency, joining the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), a national network
of governments working to achieve racial equity. 
Employees participating in trainings about equity and institutional racism. 
Formation of a cross-functional staff team sponsored by Port's Executive Leadership Team
(ELT) to lead equity work across the enterprise. 
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Creation of a Racial Equity Toolkit with initial implementation through pilot projects. 
Creation and implementation of the Duwamish Valley environmental justice project. 
Creation of dedicated full-time staff positions, including a Senior Director of Equity, Diversity
and Inclusion, a Director of Equity Programs and other key staff. 
Implementation of a robust equity-based workforce development strategy. 
COVID-19 Response and Recovery Efforts 
At the direction of the Port Commission, Port staff from various departments have proposed
immediate and ongoing mitigation efforts to help those most impacted by the loss of jobs and
income in Port related industries. The Port is developing economic opportunities through direct
support such as contracting opportunities and support for immediate internships and employment
for youth and young adults through community-based organizations. The Port Commission also
passed the Opportunity Jobs Motion to create summer internships to mitigate the significant impact
to youth employment resulting from COVID-19 due to cancelled internships across our region and
the country. 
The workforce development plan will include specific COVID-19 response efforts targeted to benefit
individuals in the communities most impacted by COVID-19. Each Port sector has specific strategies
and activities such as targeted training and access to employment opportunities in Port industries. 
Community Engagement 
During the plan development process, staff had significant engagement with over two-hundred
internal and external workforce development stakeholders including; Port staff, community-based
organizations, and individuals who received services from those organizations, also labor and
industry partners. The feedback informed many of the proposed strategies. Staff in OEID continue
to will meet at regular intervals with stakeholders to ensure that we are providing transparency and
accountability. A community report provided key information that informed the strategic plan. The
main themes of the community report include requests for: 
Increased transparency and more public communications regarding workforce development
plans, outcomes, budgets, make contract opportunities less complex and more expedited,
and contract award processes. 
Better coordination across regional workforce development systems to avoid duplications. 
Include wrap-around services as part of the Port's investments with service providers and
training organizations to better address retention and completion challenges. 
Conduct continuous community outreach, specifically to historically underrepresented
populations. 
Prepare Employers to ensure employer readiness to increase retention by conducting
equity, diversity, and inclusion trainings to ensure that they have the cultural competence to
work with a diverse workforce. 
Expand access and investments in Port related career pathways in-demand careers. 


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The following is a graphical representation of the community sessions: 

178 PARTICIPANTS
Participants (n=178) 
Construction
Participants Include staff from
52%
community-based organizations
and their clients who received
services.
Aviation
28%     Maritime
17%

Government
3%
The Workforce Development Plan 
Guided by these principles and with clear direction provided by the Port of Seattle Commission to
ensure that the Port's workforce development investments and activities produce outcomes that
support a skilled workforce in Port related industries, and that workforce development programs
create equitable access for all. 
The next pages describe in detail the elements of the Workforce Development Strategic Plan for the
years 2021, 2022, 2023. 
The Workforce Development Policy Directive 
The purpose of the Workforce Development Policy Directive is to fulfil Century Agenda strategic
objectives by increasing equitable access for workers in port-related economic activities such as
maritime, aviation, construction trades, green careers, and other economic sectors, creating
opportunities for workers to acquire the skills, experience, and education they need to secure
increasingly complex and better compensated jobs and careers; and guiding the workforce
development efforts of the Port of Seattle to benefit near-port communities, Port customers and
tenants, and port-related economic activities.
Workforce development is critical to achieving the Port's mission to serve as an economic
development agency. As a regional anchor institution, the Port will leverage its cross-sector
influence and leadership to promote long-term, sustainable advancements across port-related
economic activities that promote equity. This policy directive advances the Port of Seattle's
commitment to workforce development and is intended to: 
Increase Equitable Access to Economic Prosperity 
Leverage Port Impact and Innovation 
The Workforce Development Policy Directive guides the workforce development efforts of the Port of
Seattle and supports targeted efforts for near-port communities, underrepresented communities, and
port related industries in King County and in Washington State and is intended to: 
Center diversity, equity and inclusion 
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Create equitable access to economic prosperity 
Leverage partnerships 
Increase the availability of a skilled workforce for the port and port related industries 
Demonstrate measurable outcomes 
The Policy Directive will enable the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (OEDI) to advance the Port's
commitment to workforce development programs and will support targeted efforts that directly benefit
communities impacted by Port activities, underrepresented communities, and port-related industries in
King County and in Washington State. The Policy Directive includes the following goals:
Goal 1: Increase Equitable Access to Economic Prosperity. Increase equitable workforce access
for the trades in port-related economic activities, with an emphasis on expanding opportunities
to disproportionately impacted near-port communities which and most disproportionately
impacted. Port staff will develop program priorities, actions, benchmarks, and metrics for success: 
o   Focus on workforce training and education on Port and port-related economic activities 
o   Promote access to wrap around services and infrastructure 
o   Career Pathways in Port sectors 
o   Career Connected Learning Practices (Awareness, Experiential, Preparation, Launch) 
Goal 2: Leverage Port Impact and Innovation. Identify and prioritize opportunities for leadership
and influence to promote a sector-based approach to workforce development centered on equity,
diversity and inclusion.: 
o   Make strategic investments in the maritime, aviation, construction trades, green careers,
and other port-related economic activities 
o   Develop metrics to demonstrate the opportunities for leadership, influence and
investment. 
o   Create targeted emphasis to increase workforce development programs in near-port
communities. 
o   Leverage industry participation to increase recruitment and retention of workers in portrelated
demand occupation high need careers. 
o   Create awareness and access to education and career pathways in port related industries. 
o   Leverage port-related industry investment in programs that support training for basic
skills and career advancement. 
o   Invest Port funds in recruitment, retention, and training programs that will leverage
increased investment in port-related careers. 
o   Foster partnership with community-based organizations, educational institutions, labor,
industry stakeholders, and government agencies 
o   Support Priority Hire and ongoing government to government coordination to improve
apprenticeship outcomes for individuals living in economically distressed zip codes,
women and people of color. 
o   Support Career and Technical Education, CTE 
o   Create opportunities to support port and port-related industry apprentice and preapprentice
programs. 
o   Improve access to educational and career support resources. 
o   Support Youth Employment 
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II.     Strategic Planning Process 
The planning process methodology included a review of guiding principles provided by the Port
Commission, a review of Port investments, considerable internal and external stakeholder
engagement, and the development of strategies and activities to meet the established targets and
outcomes. 
Mission 
Advance regional workforce development in port-related industries to provide equitable
access to quality careers. 
Vision 
All people have equitable opportunities and access to living wage careers. 
The OEDI team has developed a sector-based three-year Workforce Development Strategic Plan for
the period 2021, 2022, 2023, which will be presented to the Port Commission in public session in
July 2020. Staff conducted extensive analysis of past Port investments and outcomes in workforce
development, and the team has met with internal and external stakeholders to better understand
the successes, gaps and opportunities that exist for a more strategic approach to workforce
development. 
Elements of the 2021-2023 Plan 
The Workforce Development Strategic Plan was developed following  three overarching
strategies embedded in the Workforce Development Policy Directive: one focused on near-Port
communities, another ensuring impactful Port investments in high-demand careers, and one
ensuring access to training and opportunities to historically underrepresented populations,
people of color and women. 
Staffing 
The Workforce Development team will be composed of a department director, program
managers,  data  analyst  and  external  subject  matter  experts  who  will  manage  the
implementation of the various strategies including; systems change, policy recommendations,
market research, data collection and analytics, and communications related to workforce
development. 
Port Sector Strategies 
The following are the core priorities of the Workforce Development Strategic Plan: 
1.   Increase Equitable workforce  access to port-related industries,  with an emphasis on
expanding access to near-port communities which are furthest from economic and social
justice. 
2.   Leverage  Port Impact by identifying and prioritizing opportunities for leadership and
influence to promote a sector-based approach to workforce development centered on
equity, diversity and inclusion. 


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3.   Ensure that a qualified team of Port staff and external subject matter experts is available and
supported with the appropriate resources and investments to deliver on the promise of a
more inclusive and equitable workforce pipeline in Port related industries. 
III.     Landscape Analysis 
The OEDI team has developed a sector-based three-year Workforce Development Strategic Plan for
the period 2021, 2022, 2023, which will be presented to the Port Commission in public session in
July 2020. Staff conducted extensive analysis of past Port investments and outcomes in workforce
development, and the team has met with internal and external stakeholders to better understand
the successes, gaps and opportunities that exist for a more strategic approach to workforce
development. 
The Port's workforce development strategic plan for 2021-23 considers an assessment of the
regional economy and labor market, with a focus on port-related industries and occupations; input
from the community; an analysis of the regional workforce development system; and COVID-19
impact and response/recovery. 
Regional Economy and Labor Market Assessment 
COVID-19 has had a major, disruptive impact on the regional economy and labor market. One
indicator: unemployment insurance (UI) claims. In a nine-week period, there were over
300,000 UI claims in King County.1 This included tens of thousands of workers in port-related
industries and occupations. At this point, it's unclear how long it will take for the economy to
recover. However, there are certain fundamentals of the Seattle-King County economy and
labor market that will likely remain. 
First, equity and inclusion in the regional economy will remain issues to address. As detailed in
the Brookings Institution's Metro Monitor 2020 report, the Seattle metro economy ranks high
on growth and prosperity, but less so on equity and inclusion.2 Findings for the time period
from 2008 to 2018 include: 
o     Growth  Seattle ranked 10th on overall growth among the 53 metro areas with
populations over 1 million. It ranked 15th on change in jobs (+16 percent) and 4th on
change in Gross Metropolitan Product (+42 percent). 
o     Prosperity  Seattle ranked 3rd on overall prosperity. It ranked 2nd on change in
productivity (+22 percent), 3rd on change in average annual wage (+28 percent), and
4th on change in standard of living (+21 percent). 
o     Inclusion  Seattle ranked 15th on overall inclusion. It ranked 32nd on change in
employment rate (+0.1 percent), 7th on change in median earnings (+10 percent), and
25th on change in relative poverty rate (-1 percent). 
o     On racial inclusion, Seattle ranked 16th overall. It ranked 26th on change in
white/people of color employment rate gap (-1 percent), 15th on change in

1 https://esd.wa.gov/labormarket/unemployment-insurance-data 
2 Brookings Institution, "Metro Monitor 2020: Prosperity is increasing in America's largest metro areas, but not for everyone,"
available at https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2020/03/04/metro-monitor-2020-prosperity-is-increasing-in-americas-
largest-metro-areas-but-not-for-everyone/ 

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white/people of color median earnings gap (-$515), and 14th on change in white/people
of color relative poverty rate gap (-1 percent). 
o     On geographic inclusion, Seattle ranked 29th overall. It ranked 6th on change in
top/bottom neighborhoods employment rate gap (-12 percent), 48th on change in
top/bottom neighborhoods median household income gap (+$6,929), and 32nd on
change in top/bottom neighborhoods relative poverty rate gap (-1 percent). 
o     Looking at just the 2017 to 2018 time period, Seattle ranked 2nd on growth, 4th on
prosperity, and 11th on inclusion. 
Second, port-related industries and occupations will remain a good source of quality, family
wage jobs and, therefore, a target of opportunity for workforce development efforts. For
example, almost two thirds of all construction jobs in Seattle-King County paid $30 an hour or
more in 2018, as shown in the chart below. This compares to 55 percent of jobs across all
sectors. For aviation, the figure was 53 percent and maritime, 52 percent. 
Seattle-King County Jobs by Industry and Wage Category, 2018
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
<$12  $12-$18 $18-$24 $24-$30 $30-$36 $36-$42 $42-$48 $48-$54  $54+
Total    Aviation    Construction    Maritime
Source: Washington Employment Security Department, 2020 
Note: Aviation includes NAICS codes 4811 and 4881, Construction NAICS code 23, and Maritime NAICS codes 112511,
112512, 114111, 114112, 311710, 336611, 336612, 424460, 441222, 483111, 483112, 483113, 483114, 483211,
483212, 487210,488210, 488310, 488320, 488330, 488390, 488510, 493120, and 713930 






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Many of the key occupations in port-related industries are quality, family wage jobs that require some
postsecondary education and training, but less than a four-year degree, as shown in the table below 
Employment, Wages, and Education & Training for 
Key Occupations in Port-Related Industries in Seattle-King County 
Employment in         Median Hourly             Education & 
Industry (2019)              Wage                   Training 
Aviation 
Flight Attendants                             4,195                    $31.22                 HSD/GED; OJT 
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers     2,344                    $99.42                 Bachelor's; OJT 
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material 
Movers, Hand Transportation Attendants       1,925                    $17.12                 No formal; OJT 
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians     1,780                    $32.92                 Postsecondary 
Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents 
and Travel Clerks                            1,695                    $18.26                 HSD/GED; OJT 
Construction 
Carpenters                                 11,809                    $30.25                 Apprenticeship 
Construction Laborers                       10,856                    $23.70                 No formal; OJT 
Electricians                                  6,581                    $36.97                 Apprenticeship 
Painters, Construction and Maintenance        4,644                    $20.21                 No formal; OJT 
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters         3,482                    $36.26                 Apprenticeship 
Maritime 
Sailors and Marine Oilers                      1,072                    $24.90                 No formal; OJT 
Captains, Mates, and Water Vessel Pilots         863                    $40.41                 Postsecondary 
Ship Engineers                                 637                    $39.73                 Postsecondary 
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material        575                    $17.12                 No formal; OJT 
Movers, Hand Transportation Attendants        217                    $17.44                 HSD/GED; OJT 
Sources: City of Seattle Office of Economic Development/Emsi, 2020 
Note: Aviation includes NAICS codes 4811 and 4881; Construction NAICS code 23; and Maritime NAICS codes 3366,
4831, 4832, and 4883 
Third, people of color and women will remain underrepresented in port-related industries and 
occupations, absent equity, diversity and inclusion efforts. For example, whites make up 78 percent
of the maritime workforce in Seattle-King County and men,74 percent. 
Given all the current economic uncertainty, labor market analysis is built into the strategic plan to
help inform the Port's workforce development efforts moving forward. 
Related 2021-23 strategies and activities include: Conduct labor market assessments of port-related
industries and occupations to identify gaps and opportunities. This includes analysis of regional
economic and labor market data and information, and input from internal and external partners
(e.g., employers, unions, industry groups, and community-based organizations). 
(See the Workforce Development Strategies section for more detailed information on 2021-2023 strategies and
activities.) 


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Community Input 
As part of the strategic planning process, OEDI/Workforce Development conducted a series of
listening sessions with community-based organizations and participants in their workforce
development programs funded by the Port as well as public partners; surveyed community
partners on the impact of COVID-19 and response and recovery efforts; and held input and
feedback sessions with external partners. 
Key findings and recommendations from the listening sessions included: 
o     Community outreach. Be more visible and conduct more outreach, specifically to
historically underrepresented populations and underserved, disproportionately
impacted communities. 
o     Partnerships. Partner with local government, workforce development agencies and
boards, education and training providers, community-based organizations, and others. 
o     Career pathways. Expand career pathways in port-related industries. 
o     Employer engagement. Engage employers in port-related industries in workforce
development efforts (e.g., bring employers to the table as partners, and provide equity,
diversity, and inclusion training). 
o     Wrap-around supports. Provide funding for wrap-around services and supports (e.g.,
tools, transportation, child care, mentoring and networking, etc.) to increase worker
retention and completion. 
o     Port transparency, procurement, and contracting. Make it easier for partners to work
with the Port (e.g., greater transparency in terms of funding and program performance,
and streamlined procurement and contracting). 
2021-23 strategies and activities that respond to this community input include: 
o     Incorporate outreach.  Outreach to historically underrepresented populations and
underserved,  disproportionately  impacted  communities  as  part  of  workforce
development strategies and programs (e.g., construction worker outreach, training, and
retention services; and maritime career awareness and access). 
o     Work with regional workforce development partners. Work at both the program and
systems levels (e.g., planning, developing, and implementing career pathway programs in
partnership with education and training providers, community-based organizations, and
industry partners; collaborating with other regional public owners such as the City of
Seattle and King County to build a skilled construction trades pipeline; etc.). 
o     Support development of equitable career pathways. Support programs in the portrelated
industries of aviation, construction trades, maritime, and green jobs. 
o     Engage industry partners. Work and collaborate with industry in planning, developing,
and implementing career pathway programs, including upskill/backfill. 

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o     Build wrap-around services. Ensure that wrap around services are built into the Port's
workforce development contracts with community partners to increase retention and
completion. 
o     Promote creation of a regional workforce development fund. Support a fund for wrap-
around services and other essential services and support. 
o     Review Port policies and recommend changes Ensure that policies address issues and
concerns raised by community partners regarding procurement and contracting and
establish a feedback loop system to get their input on an ongoing basis on progress made. 
o     Evaluate and share results. Share results and outcomes of workforce development
contracts, as part of transparency and continuous improvement. 
Regional Workforce Development System Analysis 
The regional workforce development system has a number of gaps when it comes to portrelated
industries, historically underrepresented populations, and underserved,
disproportionately impacted communities, including equitable access to career pathways and
related programs, equitable retention and completion rates, regional partnerships and
collaboration, funding for wrap around services, and industry engagement. 
2021-23 strategies and activities that address these gaps include: 
o     Support development of equitable career pathways and related programs in the port-
related industries of aviation, construction trades, maritime, and green jobs. 
o     Collaborate with other regional public owners such as the City of Seattle and King
County as well as other construction partners to increase access to apprenticeship and
pre-apprenticeship programs and improve outcomes for historically underrepresented
populations and underserved, disproportionately impacted communities. 
o     Work with regional postsecondary education and training partners to strengthen
training tied to port-related industries and increase equitable access, retention, and
completion (e.g., outreach; onramps; contextualized, integrated math and English;
participant services, supports, and financial assistance; training at accessible times and
locations; etc.). 
o     Promote creation of a regional workforce development fund for wrap-around services
and other essential services and supports to help increase retention and completion. 
o     Support development of and participate in port-related industry tables (e.g.,
maritime), as part of the regional workforce development system. This includes
providing the Port's industry expertise and bringing industry partners in port-related
industries to the table. 
o     Support K-12 curriculum development and teacher professional development tied to
port-related industries. 

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COVID-19 Impact and Response/Recovery 
COVID-19 has had a major, disruptive impact on the Seattle-King County economy and labor
market, as already noted, with over 300,000 workers in the region filing UI claims in a nineweek
period. 
An analysis of UI claims from the Seattle metro area, conducted by the Seattle Jobs Initiative,
shows that: 
o     "Not all industries are equally affected by the COVID-19-driven recession, and within
industries, not all occupations are equally affected." In port-related industries, UI claims
account for 35 percent of pre-COVID-19 jobs in construction and 22 percent in
transportation and warehousing. 
o     "The hardest hit occupations are those that are low-paying, where workers are close to
other people, and there is no option of telecommuting." 
o     "Workers of color, younger workers, and those with lower educational attainment have
both sustained  more job losses in the first wave of COVID-19 layoffs and are
overrepresented in the essential workforce."3 
The Port's community workforce development partners are seeing directly the impact of
COVID-19 on the communities they serve. In an OEDI/Workforce Development survey
conducted as part of the strategic planning process, community partners reported on the
greatest equity gaps they are seeing right now: those working in low wage jobs losing their
jobs in large numbers and suffering financial emergencies as a result; families being forced to
isolate in small one or two bedroom apartments day in and day out; many individuals trying to
find work, leaving their houses to feed their families, putting them more at risk of COVID-19;
and people having difficulty accessing services and supports (e.g., language barriers, lack of
funding, etc.). And, as noted by one community partner, due to structural disproportionalities,
these communities will struggle much longer to recover. 
A Port survey results show the impact COVID-19 is having on the Port's community workforce
development partners  their ability to carry out workforce development programs, the
demand for services and supports, and how these services and supports are provided. 
Survey highlights include: 
o     Most respondents reported that COVID-19 has had either a significant or severe impact
on their ability to carry out their workforce development programs. 
o     Most respondents reported having experienced a significant increase in requests for
financial support and unemployment support. 
o     Respondents reported seeing as the greatest needs right now: emergency assistance
(financial assistance, food assistance, and rental assistance), help accessing services and
support, and jobs. 
o     Most respondents reported providing services and supports online/virtually (e.g., online
classes, online help with unemployment services, virtual help and telephone one-on-one

3 Seattle Jobs Initiative, COVID-Recession & Recovery, May 2020, available at www.seattlejobsinitiative.com/wp-
content/uploads/COVID-19-Recession-and-Recovery-Brief.pdf 

14 | P a g e

assistance with job search and Basic Food Employment and Training, etc.). Here, issues
include digital literacy, internet access, and language barriers. 
Community partners also shared their ideas on how the Port can be a partner in helping plan
for recovery. Among their responses: 
o     Coordinate with partners to develop a strategy for recovery. 
o     Support near port communities, particularly in south King County. 
o     Support and fund recovery efforts, including strategies to put people to work. 
o     Support culturally responsive outreach, engagement and information sharing, targeting
underserved, disproportionately impacted communities. 
o     Stand as an advocate for equity by allowing spaces for communities of color impacted
by COVID-19 to tell their stories. 
2021-2023 Strategies and activities related to COVID-19 response and recovery include: 
o     Establish COVID-19 roundtable(s) with workforce development stakeholders (including
Port aviation, construction, and maritime divisions) to assess the effects of COVID-19 on
communities of color and near port communities. This includes gathering quantitative
and qualitative data on community impacts from partners (e.g., quarterly surveys),
discussing findings, and using findings to guide the Port's COVID-19 response and
recovery efforts. 
o     Review labor market data for COVID-19 impacts on aviation, construction trades,
maritime, and green jobs, discuss findings with partners and stakeholders and learn
about direct impacts on communities through the roundtable, and identify gaps to
determine where direct investment would be most impactful. 
o     Support COVID-19 response and recovery legislation at the federal, state, and local
levels with information on the impact of COVID-19 on the Port and port-related
industries and a special emphasis on relief for disproportionately impacted
communities. 
o     Make adjustments to the Port's workforce development programs, based on research
on the impact of COVID-19 on aviation, construction trades, maritime, and green jobs as
well as survey data and roundtable discussions (e.g., targeting of career pathways;
partners and service providers; services and supports, including wrap-around supports;
communities; and investments). 
IV.    Sector Strategies 
The Workforce Development Strategic Plan continued with the Port sector strategies, which allows
for specific strategies and activities that are most effective in Port industries and activities in
aviation, maritime, construction trades and green careers. Each sector is described in detail in the 
following sections. 



15 | P a g e

1   Aviation Sector Strategy 
The aviation strategy creates access to SeaTac International Airport (SEA) employment
opportunities for job seekers and develops career pathways for entry workers at the airport, with
a focus on historically underrepresented populations and underserved communities. It provides
direct support to SEA (passenger air, air cargo, and connected subsectors such as logistics,
maintenance, restaurant/hospitality, and retail). This includes recruitment, retention support,
education and training, and aviation career pathway programs. 
The aviation strategy considers the Port Commission's Motion on Increasing Workforce
Development and Career Opportunities Activates (July 2014, as amended), which identified that
workforce development is critical to achieving the Port's primary mission to serve as an economic
development agency generating quality, family-wage jobs". The Commission also affirmed that
"the Port's over-arching workforce development objective is to ensure that the maritime, aviation,
airport, and related sectors have access to workers who have the necessary skills to provide safe
and efficient maritime and aviation services, and that the workers have opportunities to acquire
the skills and education they need to secure increasingly complex and better compensated jobs". 
2015-2019 Elements of the Aviation Sector Strategy 
During the analysis period of 2015 through 2019, the aviation strategy has included the following
elements: 
o     Airport Employment Center  Connects jobs seekers to employment opportunities at the
airport. Specific services and supports include job matching/placement, job readiness and
core training, career navigation and counseling, referrals to community resources, and
employer services (e.g., job fairs and targeted recruitment). 
o     Airport University  Provides airport workers postsecondary education and training
opportunities, with credit bearing courses offered onsite at the airport. Courses include
workplace safety  and security, customer service, business technology, and leadership and
supervision. 
o     Aviation Career Pathways  Aim to meet the workforce and skill needs of airport employers
and, at the same time, create career advancement opportunities for airport workers in entry
jobs and employment opportunities for job seekers, as airport workers move into pathway
jobs. As a first step in developing aviation career pathways, five key career pathways were
identified and mapped out: 
1.   Aircraft and facilities maintenance 
2.   Ground operations 
3.   Safety and security 
4.   Customer service/passenger services 
5.   Dining and retail 
Next steps included identifying targeted, in-demand pathway and entry jobs; convening
airport employers to share research findings and get their input; gathering information on
training programs aligned with targeted aviation career pathway jobs; identifying aircraft
16 | P a g e

and facilities maintenance as the first career pathway and aircraft mechanics and service
technicians as the first pathway job to target; and convening partners to design an aviation
maintenance technician (AMT) career pathway program. 
The AMT career pathway program started in January 2020, with over 20 airport workers
in entry jobs such as ramp agents beginning a one quarter AMT onramp course offered
onsite at the airport, prior to their enrolling in South Seattle College's FAA certified AMT
program. 
o     Airport Employment Continuity Pool  Connected workers at airport dining and retail
operations who are displaced from their jobs as a result of discontinuation of leases to
new and existing operators. This includes working with outgoing and incoming
operators to facilitate employment opportunities for incumbent workers and providing
incumbent workers job readiness/ preparation assistance and referrals to new jobs. 
o     Airport Career Support Center  The Airport Career Support Center provides outreach,
education and training, and assistance to airport employers and workers on local, state,
and federal employment standards, including the City of SeaTac ordinance creating
specific employment benefits and rights. The center aims to help prevent as well as
mitigate some of the complaints concerning wage and other employment compliance
matters. More broadly, it aims to establish a more stable workplace environment. 
Aviation strategy partners include Port Jobs, airport employers, education and training providers 
(e.g., Highline College and South Seattle College), and community-based organizations. 
The following are the strategy results for 2015-2019: 
Aviation strategy Results (2015-2019) 
Impact 
Airport Employment      2015          2016          2017          2018          2019 
Center and Airport
University 
# registered for          5,180           6,889           6,119           5,085           4,885 
employment and/or
training
(unduplicated) 
# job placements         1,732          1,661          1,953          2,049          2,239 
# hiring employers          75              77              82              89              90 
Hourly wage @          $11.08        $14.20        $15.02        $15.44        $16.04 
placement 
# training                    297             346             282             319             247 
enrollments* 

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# training                    247             300             247             275             198 
completions* 
Influence 
AMT career pathway
developed and
implemented 
Leverage 
Aviation employers,                                                                  $4.6 million
foundations,                                                                         (2015-19) 
regional workforce
development
partners, and state
and local agencies
(Airport Employment
Center and Airport
University) 

*     Training funded by Alaska Airlines grant to Port Jobs 
Demographics 
In terms of demographics, data for 2019 show that 45 percent of Port Jobs participants were
African/African American, 23 percent Asian/Pacific Islander, 8 percent Latinx, 8 percent white,
and 7 percent Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. Data also show that most participants came from
communities in South Seattle and South King County (e.g., SeaTac, Tukwila, Des Moines, Burien,
Federal Way, and Kent). Results for the Airport Employment Continuity Pool include 190 airport
workers enrolled since its start in 2016, with 66 having had known job offers. 
At a listening session held as part of the strategic planning process, participants shared a
number of positives associated with the Airport Employment Center and Airport University:
friendly, supportive staff who go above and beyond; help finding jobs at the airport and job
readiness/preparation assistance; and classes that have provided them a sense of what's
possible  a college education  and a sense of direction. 
At the listening session with Airport Employment Center and Airport University participants and
another one held with Port Jobs staff, some issues and concerns were identified, including: 
o     Greater outreach, both in the community and at the airport. 
o     Additional language capacity at the Airport Employment Center. 
o     Expansion of Airport University (e.g., more classroom space, additional course offerings,
upgraded technology, etc.). 
o     Additional Airport University scholarships currently funded through a grant from Alaska
Airlines. 
o     Work supports (e.g., child care, transportation assistance, etc.). 
18 | P a g e

o     Greater employer (and union) engagement. 
2021-2023 Elements of the Aviation Sector Strategy 
The following are the proposed elements of the aviation strategy for 2021-2023: 
o     Airport Employment Center. Continue to invest in services and supports that connect
job seekers to employment opportunities at the airport. 
-    Manage contracts associated with Airport Employment Center to connect job seekers
to employment opportunities 
-    Continue to provide indirect support to Airport University 
o     Aviation career pathways. Expand the aviation career pathways work to other targeted,
in-demand pathway jobs within the aviation and facilities maintenance career pathway
as well as other career pathways (e.g., ground operations, safety and security, etc.),
including Port of Seattle jobs  as a way to achieve greater scale. 
-    Further develop and implement the aviation maintenance technician career pathway
program; this includes evaluating the first two cohorts and building on lessons
learned 
-    Facilitate planning, development, and implementation of another two aviation career
pathway programs, based on labor market analysis and partner engagement (e.g.,
industry, training and other service providers) 
-    Work with POS Aviation Division and aviation career pathway program partners to
increase industry engagement beyond the existing internships and scholarships; this
includes upskill/backfill 
Baselines and Targets for 2021-2023 
Aviation strategy baselines and targets, 2021-2023 
Impact 
Airport Employment Center     Baseline        2021           2022           2023 
and Airport University 
# job placements                     1,000*          1,350*           1,650            2,000 
(*Covid-19       (Covid-19
impacts)         impacts) 
Hourly wage @ placement           $16.04 
(2019) 
# hiring employers                      83 
(2015-19
average) 

19 | P a g e

# training enrollments                  298              300              300              300 
(2015-19
average) 
# training completions                  253              250              250              250 
(2015-19
average) 
Aviation Career Pathways (3)        Baseline           2021            2022            2023 
# training enrollments                   19                40                60                60 
(2019) 
# training completions                  10               28               42               42 
(projected) 
# job placements                       8               22               34               34 
(projected) 
Hourly wage @ placement           $23.54 
(projected) 
Influence 
Aviation career pathways
developed and implemented
(AMT, plus two additional) 
Leverage 
Aviation employers,               $4.6 million         TBD             TBD             TBD 
foundations, regional               (2015-19) 
workforce development
partners, and state and local
agencies 
Aviation Sector Budget                                2021             2022             2023 
$1,367,748      $1,482,748      $1,511,081 
Note: Data on impact results will be broken down by race/ethnicity, gender, and zip code. 



20 | P a g e

2   Construction Trades Strategy 
The construction trades strategy supports the creation of a regional pipeline of skilled
construction workers. The Port, as a major developer, relies on the availability of such workers. It
also addresses the low participation and completion rates for people of color and women in the
construction trades. In addition, it addresses gaps in the existing pipeline (e.g., lack of alignment
with demand; a siloed approach to planning and implementation, funding, and evaluation; lack of
coordination and limited capacity in terms of pre-apprenticeship training programs; etc.). 
2015-2019 Elements of the Construction Trades Sector Strategy 
The construction trades strategy, addresses both the supply of and demand for skilled construction
workers, have included: 
o     Regional Trades Partnership  The Regional Trades Partnershipmade up of the Port of
Seattle, City  of Seattle, King County, Sound Transit, Washington Department of
Transportation, and City of Tacomaworks to address the shortage of local construction
workers and broaden access to training and jobs for underrepresented populations within
the industry. It aims to develop a pipeline of skilled construction workers to meet current
and future needs driven by Port and other public infrastructure projects. 
The partnership has developed a shared roadmap and workforce investment plan that focuses
on four priority goals: 
-    Expand pathways to apprenticeships 
-    Align and champion greater workforce diversity 
-    Strengthen apprentice retention and completion rates 
-    Share accountability for common outcomes 
Partnership efforts have included: 
-    Research to identify labor market demand and equity issues. 
-    Engagement of labor, contractors, and the community to share labor market and
apprentice data, best practices, and barriers and opportunities. 
-    Joint pilot of and funding for construction worker outreach, training, and retention
services to increase the number of women, people of color, and those from
economically distressed neighborhoods in the construction industry (described
below). Also included: common data collection and reporting. 
o     "Race Matters" equity and anti-racism training. 
o     Construction Worker Outreach, Training, and Retention  Construction worker outreach,
training, and retention services aim to increase the representation of underrepresented
groups in the construction trades  women, people of color, and those from economically
distressed neighborhoods. Services includes: 
-    Outreach, assessment, and referral  Recruit, screen, and refer people to enroll in
construction pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship training programs to increase the
number of underrepresented groups. This includes assessing skills, readiness, ability

21 | P a g e

to meet minimum qualifications for entrance, and any barriers to entering and
succeeding in construction training and/or employment. 
-    Pre-apprenticeship training  Provide classroom and hands-on training to prepare
people to enter apprenticeships. Curricula includes construction math, safety and
orientation, and exposure to different trades occupations and industry culture.
Programs focus on building job readiness skills, challenges of working in the industry,
and addressing barriers to employment and retention (e.g., transportation, child care,
and financial management). Programs also develop and maintain relationships with
construction contractors, apprenticeship training programs, trade associations, and
unions. 
-    Retention services  Support apprentices in navigating the construction environment,
including mentoring and networking opportunities for apprentices, training for
employers and journey workers on coaching and inclusive work environments, case
management, and referrals and work related and other support services such as work
boots, transportation, and child care. 
o     Regional Pre-Apprenticeship Collaboration  The Regional Pre-Apprenticeship
Collaboration has as its mission to build a regional pre-apprenticeship system and is
committed to funding and supporting a region wide approach to outreach, recruitment,
education, and training resulting in the systematic entry of local, highly qualified African
Americans, women, people of color, and underserved residents into construction
apprenticeships and to ensure these apprentices succeed and journey out. Members include
unions; contractors; pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship training programs; public
construction project owners, including the Port; community-based organizations; school
districts; and state agencies. 
o     Efforts to date have focused on: 
-    Driver license relicensing policy and practice across King County 
-    Growth  in  contractor  membership  to  introduce  contractors  to  the  value  in
diversifying their workforce 
- Establishment of shared training standards among the region's pre-apprenticeship
programs recognized by the Washington State Apprenticeship Training Council 
-    Coordinated outreach, placement, and retention services 
o     Port Apprentice Utilization Requirements  Since the early 1990's, the Portalong with
other public construction project owners such as the City of Seattle and King Countyhas
had an apprentice utilization requirement (AUR) that requires at least 15 percent of total
labor hours worked on Port construction projects valued at $1 million or more be performed
by apprentices, with inclusion goals of at least 15 percent of apprentice hours performed by
people of color and at least 10 percent by women. 
o     Project Labor Agreements  On project labor agreement (PLA) projects, there is also a pre-
apprenticeship direct entry goal that at least one in five apprentices used on projects come
from a pre-apprenticeship program. 

22 | P a g e

o     Port Priority Hire Policy and Program  In 2018, the Port Commission passed the Priority
Hire Policy Directive (Resolution No. 3736). It ensures that workers from economically
distressed zip codes4 are called first on Port capital projects. The City of Seattle and King
County also have priority hire policies and programs and through the Regional Trades
Partnership, there is an effort to align these policies and programs and share resources and
data. 
o     Port Acceptable Worksite Standards  The Port, along with other regional public owners,
has adopted acceptable or respectful worksite definitions and requirements. The Port's
definition of acceptable work site is "a work site that encourages inclusive, productive, and
safe behaviors and procedures, focuses on positive relationships between employers and
employees, and among employees, and is free from bullying, hazing, harassment, and
discrimination". As part of this policy, the "contractor shall ensure an acceptable worksite.
Any behavior that demonstrates hostility related to race, gender or sexuality, inappropriate
conduct or comments intended to harm another individual, and/or hostility or
discriminatory actions against another individual are strictly prohibited". 
2015-2019 Construction trades sector strategy results 
Construction trades strategy results, 2015-2019 
Impact 
Construction Worker Outreach,     2015        2016        2017        2018        2019 
Training and Retention 
# enrolled                                -              -              -                   206 
# training completions                   -             -             -                   175 
# placements                          -             -             -                  190 
Apprenticeship                         -             -             -                  19 
Trades related job                       -              -              -                    63 
Hourly wage @ placement             -            -            -               $26.21 
Retention (3 mos)                      -             -             -               142 (75%) 
POS Apprentice Utilization            2015         2016         2017         2018         2019 
#/%  labor  hours  worked  by    61,309     32,877     85,417     306,117    295,011
apprentices on Port projects          hours/       hours/       hours/       hours/       hours/ 
16%        17%        17%        22%        20% 

4 Economically distressed zip codes are defined in the policy directive as those having high population concentrations: 1) living at or below 200
percent of the federal poverty level, 2) unemployed, and 3) those over 25 years of age without a college degree, compared to other zip codes. 
23 | P a g e

#/% apprentice hours worked by    15,499       8,752       17,409      84,193      98,592
people of color                       hours/       hours/       hours/       hours/       hours/
25%        27%        20%        28%        33% 
#/% apprentice hours worked by    11,116       5,782       8,817       24,114      28,941
women                       hours/     hours/     hours/    hours/ 8%    hours/
18%        18%        10%                    10% 
POS Priority Hire                      2015         2016         2017         2018         2019 
#/% Port capital projects with      -          -          -          -          - 
priority hire requirements 

Influence 
Regional   Trades   Partnership
established, collaborative efforts
undertaken 
Leverage 
Aligned city, county investments                                                        $5.2
(Regional Trades Partnership)                                                               million 
(2018-19) 

Construction trades strategy partners include public construction project owners (e.g., the City of
Seattle, King County, and Sound Transit), community-based organizations such as the Urban League
of Metropolitan Seattle, and pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship training programs such as
Apprenticeship and Non-Traditional Employment for Women (ANEW) and the Pacific Northwest
Ironworkers and Employers Local #86 Apprenticeship. 
In terms of demographics, data for construction outreach, training, and retention services show that
20 percent of participants were women; and 27 percent were white, 26 percent Black/African
American, 22 percent Latinx, 11 percent Asian/Pacific Islander, 7 percent Native American/Alaskan
Native, and 3 percent multiracial. 
At listening sessions held as part of the strategic planning process, construction trades stakeholders
identified the partnership with the Port as a positive, along with apprentice utilization requirements.
They also identified issues and concerns, including: 
-    More community outreach 
-    Workforce projections associated with Port priority hire/apprentice utilization, so
that programs can align their efforts with projected demand 
-    Pre-apprenticeship training program reforms (e.g., increased accessibility of classes
in terms of times and location, integration/contextualization of language skills,
community college partnerships, etc.) 
-    Funding for pre-apprenticeship training programs 
24 | P a g e

-    More supportive services, including during apprenticeships (e.g., tools and work
clothes, relicensing, transportation, child care, etc.), to help with retention and
completion 
-    Other retention support (e.g., navigation and mentoring) 
-    Tracking of results 
(2021-2023) Elements of the Construction Trades Sector Strategy 
The following are the proposed elements of the construction trades strategy for 2021-2023: 
o     Regional Trades Partnership. Continue to partner with other regional public owners to
increase access to construction training and jobs and improve outcomes for individuals living
in economically distressed zip codes, women, and people of color. This includes: 
-    Developing and sharing common workforce data and targets 
-    Developing a regional system to track apprentice through journey level 
-    Identifying and promoting best practices (e.g., priority hire and acceptable worksites) 
-    Identifying retention and completion barriers, setting targets, and funding strategies 
o     Priority Hire  Fully implement the Port's priority hire policy and program, and evaluate its
impact, working with internal partners. Also, create stretch goals for priority hire workers
and apprentices. In addition, support priority hire, in partnership with other regional public
owners (e.g., compare policies and practices to gauge their relative effectiveness, advance
best practices, etc.) 
The Port's current plans call for implementing priority hire this year, with the following
requirements/goals: 
-    Apprentice  utilization:  at  least  15  percent  of  total  labor  hours  performed  by
apprentices 
-    Priority workers apprentices' level: 15 percent 
-    Apprentice preferred entry: 1:5 
-    At least 21 percent of apprentice hours by people of color 
-    At least 12 percent of apprentice hours by women 
- 
The Port Commission's priority hire policy directive also calls for program evaluation, including
establishing benchmarks and metrics such as utilization rates and graduation rates for priority
workers, women, and people of color from pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship training
programs. In addition, it calls for annual reports that include the following: 
-    Number and kinds of construction projects on which apprenticeship and priority hire
requirements were established 
-    Total number and percentage of labor hours actually worked by apprentices and
priority workers 
-    Number of apprentices and priority workers broken down by trade and craft 
-    Number and percent of women and people of color utilized as apprentices and
priority workers 
-    Barriers encountered by participating apprentices and priority workers and steps
taken to resolve  those problems and ensure their continued participation 
25 | P a g e

o     POS apprenticeships. Work with internal stakeholders to identify and pursue POS
apprenticeship opportunities in the skilled trades. 
o     Construction worker outreach, training, and retention. Continue to invest in construction
worker outreach, training, and retention services, with a focus on underrepresented
populations and underserved communities. Also, provide funding for wrap-around services
and supports to increase retention and completion; and evaluate results and build on
lessons learned. 
o     Acceptable worksite standards. Fully implement and enforce the Port's acceptable worksite
standards, and evaluate its impact, working with internal stakeholders. Also, support best
practices regarding acceptable worksite standards, working with other regional public
owners. 
2021-2023 Construction trades sector strategy baselines and targets 
Construction trades strategy baselines and targets, 2021-2023 
Impact 
Construction Worker Outreach, Training,        Baseline       2021         2022         2023 
and Retention 
# training completions                   175          150          175           175 
(2018-19) 
# placements in apprent1iceships, trades         190          160          190           190 
related jobs                      (2018-19) 
Hourly wage @ placement             $26.21 
(2018-19) 
Retention @ 3 mos                142 (75%)    120 (75%)    142 (75%)    142 (75%) 
POS Apprenticeships                Baseline       2021        2022         2023 
# placements in POS apprenticeships           N/A           -             5            10 
POS Apprentice Utilization 
#/% of labor hours worked by apprentices on      20%         20%         20%          20% 
POS projects                     (2015-19
average) 
#/% of apprentice hours worked by people of      29%         29%         29%          29% 
color                          (2015-19
average) 

26 | P a g e

#/% of apprentice hours worked by women       10%         12%         12%         12% 
(2015-19
average) 
POS Priority Hire                   Baseline       2021         2022          2023 
#/% of labor hours worked by priority          N/A         TBD*         TBD*         TBD* 
workers 
#/% of labor hours worked by apprentices        N/A         TBD*        TBD*         TBD* 
#/% of people of color utilized as apprentices       N/A          TBD*         TBD*         TBD* 
and priority workers 
#/% of women utilized as apprentices and        N/A         TBD*        TBD*         TBD* 
priority workers 
Influence 
Regional Trades Partnership collaborative
efforts undertaken (data, best practices,
retention/completion strategies, etc.) 
Leverage 
Aligned city, county investments             $5.2         TBD          TBD          TBD 
million
(2018-
2019) 
Construction Trades Budget                           2021         2022         2023 
$705,159    $837,461     $853,333 

* Plans call for evaluating the Port's priority hire policy and program and creating stretch goals for
priority hire workers and apprentices, as called for in the Port Commission's workforce development
policy directive. Targets will be developed based on this work. 
Note: Data on impact results will be broken down by race/ethnicity, gender, and zip code. 




27 | P a g e

3   Maritime Sector Strategy 
The maritime strategy focuses on increasing recruitment and retention, especially among youth who
are not entering the industry; and developing maritime career pathways. 
2015-2019 Elements of the Maritime Sector Strategy 
o     Maritime career pathways roadmap  The Port worked with the maritime industry and
workforce and economic development partners to conduct labor market research to identify
in-demand jobs and their skill and training requirements as well as wages; engage
employers; identify the education, training, employment and support service needs of jobs
seekers and workers; and inventory existing initiatives and programs. Among the key
findings: 
1.   Diverse maritime subsectors require different workforce development strategies. 
2.   Maritime  employers  are  fragmented;  as  a  result,  coordinating  workforce
development initiatives is challenging. 
3.   The maritime workforce lacks diversity. 
4.   There is minimal exposure in K-12 to maritime career opportunities. 
5.   Maritime training programs exist (especially for jobs at sea); enrollment in existing
programs is a bigger challenge. 
Maritime industry representatives recommended a focus on youth, career connected
learning, and collaboration among education, training, and other service providers. 
o     Youth Maritime Collaborative  In 2017, the Port established partnerships with a wide
range of workforce and job training organizations under the umbrella of the Youth
Maritime Collaborative to promote maritime career awareness and career connected
learning activities. The collaborative's vision: "to be a partnership between service
providers, educational institutions, and employers to make maritime an appealing
career option for low-income youth and youth of color. To achieve this, we propose a
system that is grounded in career connected and equity." Its goals are to: 
-    Expose youth to occupations and career pathways in the maritime industry to
generate interest in maritime career pathways and build a talent pipeline to portrelated
careers. 
-    Offer a range of career connected learning opportunities for students, including
experiential events/ classes, industry field trips and guest speakers, and career and
education preparation events/classes. 
-    Target and provide internship opportunities to local youth, including those living in
disadvantaged communities, through partnerships  with regional youth serving
organizations. This includes providing interns meaningful work assignments that align 
with their education, skills, and career interests. 
With support from the Port, Seattle Goodwill was brought on as a key partner to 
strengthen connections to youth of color. This helped lead to the development of
Goodwill's youth maritime program, which prepares high school seniors for maritime

28 | P a g e

careers. Key features include career and college readiness, maritime classes at area
colleges, service learning and internships, financial stipends, and support services. 
o   Youth Maritime Collaborative  Efforts have included: 
-    Securing    maritime    internship    commitments,    primarily    for    historically
underrepresented populations such as youth of color and young women and 
establishing partnerships with other organizations to support internships (e.g., wraparound
services such as transportation, mentoring, subsidies, etc.). 
-    Organizing and offering a series of experiential and career connected learning events
to K-12 students that introduce them to maritime careers and career pathways. 
-    Delivering equity trainings and follow up support to maritime employers committed
to working with interns and collaborative stakeholders. 
-    Developing a resource database of key partners for career connected learning, service
learning, field trips, guest speakers, workshops, support/wrap-around services,
academic support, career and college navigation, etc. 
-    Organizing  or  attending  industry  events  for  maritime  employer  outreach  and
recruitment. 
Collaborative partners, in addition to the Port, include: Argosy Cruises, the City of Seattle,
Goodwill, Manufacturing Industrial Council, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration, Northwest Marine Trade Association, Northwest School of Wooden Boat
Building, NW Seaport Maritime Heritage Center, Partnership for Advanced Technology
Apprenticeship in Manufacturing and Marine Engineering, Puget Sound Maritime, Puget
Sound Skills Center, Seattle Maritime Academy, Salish Sea Expeditions, Seattle Maritime
Academy, Seattle Skills Center, Sound Experience, Virginia V Foundation, and Youth
Maritime Training Association. 
o     Core Plus maritime curriculum  With support from the Port, the Manufacturing
Industrial Council developed a Core Plus curriculum specific to maritime. 
Core Plus is an established, industry validated, career-related STEM-based high school
learning model. The "core" refers to skills that apply across industrial sectors such as use
and safety of shop equipment, precision measuring, material science, and print reading.
The "plus" refers to skills specific to an industrial sector such as aerospace, construction,
and now maritime. The Core Plus maritime curriculum developed by the Manufacturing
Industrial Council covers areas such as vessel manufacturing, maintenance, and repair;
and shore-side marine services, including recreational,  professional, logistics, and
technical occupations. 
Core Plus's goal is to provide youth with the skills and knowledge needed to transition
from high school to postsecondary education, employment, apprenticeship, and/or
career training in industrial occupations. 
As of 2018, Core Plus was offered at 30 locations around the state with enrollment options
available to students from more than 150 high schools. 

29 | P a g e

In addition to Core Plus maritime curriculum development, the Manufacturing Industrial
Council partnered with the Port and Youth Maritime Collaborative to connect Core Plus
students to internships and worked to increase work-based learning, career exploration,
and internship opportunities for high school students to increase exposure to jobs and
careers in the maritime sector. 
Maritime strategy partners include the Youth Maritime Collaborative and its members,
the Washington Maritime Federation, Seattle Maritime Academy, and Goodwill. 
2015-2019 Maritime strategy sector results 
Maritime strategy results, 2015-2019 
Impact 
Maritime Experiential Learning           2015        2016        2017        2018        2019 
#    students    participating    in      -          6         98        498        474 
experiential events 
Influence 
Youth Maritime Collaborative
initiated, collaborative efforts
undertaken 
Goodwill youth maritime  program
developed and implemented 
K-12  reforms  launched  (curriculum
development,  teacher  professional
development) 
Leverage 
Foundations                                                              $300,000 

At a listening session held as part of the strategic planning process and an input/feedback session
with internal partners, the following issues and concerns were identified: 
o     Community outreach, specifically reaching historically underrepresented populations
and underserved communities. 
o     Increasing the number of maritime internships and providing interns stipends and wraparound
supports. 
o     Active Port engagement and commitment (e.g., using its influence with maritime
employers to engage them in the strategy, increase the number of internships, etc.). 
o     Inclusive maritime work environment (e.g., engaging maritime employers committed to
an inclusive work environment and providing them equity, diversity, and inclusion
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training; and providing participants an overview of the maritime industry and work
environment, along with mentoring). 
o     Maritime career connected learning opportunities that span the continuum (e.g.,
awareness, exploration, preparation, work experience, and skills training and
education), and help youth move along the continuum, not just one-time events. 
(2021-2023) Elements of the Maritime Sector Strategy 
The following are the proposed elements of the maritime strategy for 2021-2023: 
o     Maritime career awareness and access. Create awareness of and access to maritime
careers. 
-    Create outreach and experiential events, targeting historically underrepresented
populations such as youth of color and young women 
-    Collaborate  with  internal  partners  to  develop  an  outreach  program  and
communications  campaign  around  maritime,  targeting  youth  and  near-port
communities 
-    Collaborate  with  youth  serving  organizations  to  secure  maritime  internship
commitments for historically underrepresented populations; this includes employer
engagement 
-    Collaborate with partners and stakeholders to identify barriers to accessing maritime
careers for youth and other underrepresented populations, and develop an action
plan 
-    Partner  with  education  stakeholders  to  develop  K-12  port  related  industries
curriculum 
-    Support development of a maritime high school 
o     Maritime career pathways. Develop maritime career pathway programs for youth and
adults. 
-    Collaborate with partners and stakeholders to develop and implement two youth
focused maritime career pathway programs 
-    Facilitate planning, development, and implementation of one adult focused maritime
career pathway program, based on labor market analysis and partner engagement
(e.g., industry, training and other service providers) 
o     Regional maritime workforce development efforts. Advocate for regional maritime
workforce development efforts. 
-    Support establishment of a maritime industry table as part of the regional workforce
development system 
-    Review labor market data to determine gaps in maritime and invest in workforce
development efforts in near port communities 
-    Advocate for local, state, and federal policies (and funding) that support regional
workforce development efforts in maritime and address identified gaps 
-    Work with regional partners to advance equitable workforce development policies
and practices 

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2021-2023 Maritime sector strategy baselines and targets 
Maritime strategy baselines and targets, 2021-2023 
Impact 
Maritime Experiential Learning                  Baseline       2021         2022         2023 
# youth participating in maritime experiential      474          300          500           750 
learning events                                    (2019) 
# youth participating in maritime internships        N/A           10            20            30 
Maritime Career Pathways  Youth (2)           Baseline       2021        2022         2023 
# training enrollments                               N/A            -             20            40 
# training completions                              N/A            -            16            32 
#   Placements   in   further   education     N/A          -          13          26 
opportunities and training enrollment 
Hourly wage @ placement                       N/A 
Maritime Career Pathways  Adults (1)          Baseline       2021         2022         2023 
# training enrollments                               N/A            -             -             20 
# training completions                              N/A            -             -             14 
# job placements                                  N/A           -             -            11 
Hourly wage @ placement                       N/A 
Influence 
Youth Maritime Collaborative efforts
undertaken (communications plan, action
plan to increase youth access to maritime
careers, etc.) 
Maritime career pathways developed and
implemented 
Maritime industry table established, as part of
regional workforce development system 

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K-12 port-related industries curriculum
developed, and teacher professional
development opportunities created 
Local, state, and federal policies (and funding)
for maritime workforce development adopted 
Equitable workforce development
policies/practices advanced 
Leverage 
Maritime employers, foundations, regional      $300,000       TBD          TBD          TBD 
workforce development partners, and state       (2018) 
and local agencies 
Maritime Sector Budget                                      2021         2022         2023 
$478,250    $555,000     $663,333 

Note: Data on impact results will be broken down by race/ethnicity, gender, and zip code. 

4   Green Career/Green Jobs Sector Strategy 
The green careers strategy supports the environmental and workforce developments priorities of
the Century Agenda. 
2021-2023 Elements of the Green Careers Strategy 
o     Duwamish Valley community equity program. Support POS Duwamish Valley community
equity program (e.g., retention strategies). 
o     Green jobs career pathways. Develop green jobs career pathway program. 





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Green jobs sector strategy targets for 2021-2023 are: 

Green jobs strategy targets, 2021-2023 
Impact 
Duwamish River Green Jobs                    Baseline       2021        2022         2023 
# training enrollments                               N/A            -             -             20 
# training completions                              N/A            -             -             16 
# job placements                                  N/A           -             -            13 
Hourly wage @ placement                       N/A 
Influence 
Green jobs career pathways developed and
implemented 
Leverage 
Employers, foundations, regional workforce      N/A         TBD         TBD          TBD 
development partners, and state and local
agencies 
Green Careers/Green Jobs Sector Budget                      2021         2022         2023 
$100,000 
Note: Data on impact results will be broken down by race/ethnicity, gender, and zip code. 
V.    Youth Employment and Career Connected Learning 
The CCL and Youth strategies objectives include strong partnerships with internal stakeholders like
HR and the Port maintenance departments to develop opportunities for youth at the Port.
Strategies include: 
Work with HR to align Port internships with regional workforce data and POS and regional
workforce needs 
Partner with HR as a thought partner in the development of CTE related curricula 
Create more opportunities for Create more opportunities for Launch programming that can be
aligned with POS CCL pipeline programs 
Work with regional partners to strengthen apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship pipelines in
port-related industries 
Work with regional post-secondary partners to strengthen training tied to port-related
industries 
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Review internal Port policies to identify barriers to entry into the Port intern program for
students of color and women 
Coordinate with partner organizations to place Port youth interns into their organizations 
VI.    Plan Administration 
The strategies and activities included in this comprehensive plan rely on the availability of human
resources and a budget to achieve these important priorities. The following are the elements: 
Staffing 
The Strategic Plan also includes the addition of FTE's to ensure that the strategies and activities are
conducted as planned. The expanded Workforce Development team will be composed of a
department director, program managers, data analyst and external subject matter experts who will
manage the implementation of the various strategies including; systems change, policy
recommendations, market research, data collection and analytics, and communications related to
workforce development. 
Port Investments 
The proposed investments for  2021-2023 is $11.7 million and it includes the staffing and
administration costs and the proposed investments by sector (maritime, aviation, construction
trades, and green careers). Each strategy and activity in each sector have been priced accordingly.
The budget allocation by sector is shown below: 
Sector                        Total 
Maritime Sector              $ 1,538,250 
Aviation Sector                $ 5,178,244 
Construction Trades           $ 2,237,800 
Green Careers/Jobs           $   200,000 
Career Connected Learning    $   375,000 
Technical Ed/Youth Emp.       $   140,000 
Staffing and Administration    $  2,029,476 
Total              $11,698,770 
- END - 






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