Manufacturing Workforce in Seattle-King County to Receive Grant from National Fund for Workforce Solutions

Seattle among two workforce collaboratives to receive grant supporting on-the-job training in advanced manufacturing

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Fund for Workforce Solutions has announced that two workforce collaboratives in its network—Seattle, Washington and Sarasota, Florida—will each receive $125,000 in grants for on-the-job training in high-demand advanced manufacturing skills.

The two-year investment, made possible by The Boeing Company, will provide support for participating employers to train new and incumbent workers in the skills needed to remain competitive. The training programs will help manufacturing companies fill vacancies while advancing current employees into positions with higher skills and higher wages. The program will prioritize racial and gender diversity in the workforce and will develop employer leaders who commit to building a sustainable career development system.

Seattle-King Workforce Funders Collaborative, in partnership with the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee, will use on-the-job training resources to connect underserved populations – especially young adults, women, and people of color – to advanced manufacturing jobs and registered apprenticeship training that lead to family-sustaining careers.

A total of five communities are participating in the program, with three having been selected in 2018.

“The National Fund is excited to expand this successful on-the-job training program,” said Dr. Pam Howze, director of work-based learning at the National Fund. “Since we started this Boeing-funded work in August 2018, 54 workers have successfully completed on-the-job training programs in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Wichita. We know we will have continued success in Sarasota and Seattle.”

Each local partner will design job training strategies tailored to their labor market, employer partners, and unique needs.

Read the press release from the National Fund for Workforce Solutions.