A new data tool demonstrates the significant gap between racial inequality in King County as compared with state and national averages. Although the region boasts relatively high incomes, this prosperity is concentrated among the White population. The data represents the first phase of “Workforce Dynamics,” a new economic and social visualization project produced by the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC). The project offers detailed and disaggregated data visualizations, with initial focus on Place and Income.

Neighborhood House received $275,000 in Workforce Innovations and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding thanks to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. This new investment is part of an additional $4.1 million in federal funding for key projects Congresswoman Jayapal secured for our region.

By hiring people from the community, Open Doors cultivated understanding of the needs of the people they serve. They integrated PPE and food relief into a single delivery package, including information tailored to the families’ own languages, drove the rental assistance program, and even represented Open Doors in meetings with King County.

We have been on a long and trying road together in the nearly two years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Take a deep breath—this is one of the most extraordinary times in our history, and the disproportionate racial impact on the community has been heartbreaking. At the risk of stating the obvious, we must get the pandemic under control to ease the suffering. But let us be real with you: our vision of an equitable workforce system centering racial equity is incompatible with the pre-pandemic status quo.

Gabe was “in a tough spot,” according to case managers with King County Community and Human Services: Children, Youth and Young Adults Division. After becoming paralyzed from gun violence, he was at a crossroads: continue down the same path of destruction or transform his life for the better.

Matthias was laid off from his job at a major hospital in 2017 as part of a restructuring. In some ways this was fortunate, as injuries to his feet and joints had left him unable to pursue a career in healthcare. Constant daily pain and the inability to walk one hundred yards without a break forced him to reconsider his career options. He had little money but a strong desire to move into the technology sector, so he applied for Training Benefits from the Employment Security Department.

Li Xiu emigrated from China in 1996. She had less than a high school education, her English was very limited, and she possessed few digital literacy skills. When she settled in Seattle she didn’t have much time for her own education because she was a busy single mom working sewing jobs to raise her two children. In July 2019 she was laid off, and she became “very depressed worrying about her living.”

Leilah survived domestic gun violence and fled to Seattle, where she sought refuge with YWCA and enrolled in domestic violence (DV) services, and later the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). After getting urgently needed safety services, Leilah worked with her career navigator and DV advocate to review her strengths, background, employment history, and career goals, and came up with a plan to achieve them. She also created a safety plan, received mental health support, and joined a survivor’s support group.

After losing his job and eventually losing his apartment, Jordan became homeless and began living inside his car. He realized that he needed some help, and reached out to Neighborhood House for job search assistance and help finding housing.

The Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC) is awarding five organizations a total of $1.825 million to serve individuals impacted by the criminal legal system. This system creates disparate racial impacts on low-income communities, especially individuals of Black, Indigenous and Latinx origin, making it an important priority toward advancing the WDC’s commitment to equitable economic recovery.

The Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC) is excited to welcome four new members to the WDC Board: Dr. John Mosby, Caroline Chan, Jason Nakamura, and Kate Harkess. Collectively they bring a leadership vision and wide range of experience in many of the WDC’s priority areas for regional transformation. Please join us in welcoming them.

Angela Dunleavy, Princess Ayers-Stewart, and Katie Garrow have been elected to WDC Board leadership as Board Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary, respectively. The WDC is thrilled to welcome the new leadership team and is excited for them to they apply their diverse perspectives and community dedication to their leadership roles. Please join us in congratulating them.

We begin the new program year (July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022) focused on recovery. Our region is seeing promising trends, from lower infection rates to positive economic indicators. Despite the beginnings of recovery, we are seeing widening economic disparities for women and people of color. This is a critical time for our region to work together around a shared vision of support and inclusion.

Designed to meet the expanding labor needs of Seattle-King County, the Health Professions Opportunity Grant (HPOG) connects job seekers to training that leads to careers in healthcare. This year marks the 11th and possibly final year of the program, with HPOG slated to end in September without re-authorization by Congress. As we look back, and look forward, it is important to highlight the accomplishments of program participants and the organizations the WDC has partnered with for more than a decade to bring success to TANF recipients, immigrants and refugees, and large and small healthcare employers.

The Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC) is proud to announce the addition of two new members to the WDC Board: Justin Magouirk Crowe and Jiquanda Nelson. We are excited for Jiquanda and Justin to bring the full range of their extensive experience and community focus to the important work of the WDC Board and committees. Please join us in welcoming them.

On Wednesday, April 28, 2021, the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce will hold their 2021 PNW Education & Workforce Summit and Virtual Job & Career Fair. The summit will act as a collective look into the status of the school-to-work pipeline in the Seattle Southside region while the job and career fair will be a focused effort to connect community members with employment opportunities and family-wage careers.

The Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC) is awarding five organizations Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) grants to serve in-school and out-of-school youth with workforce services, including educational credential attainment, post-secondary placement, unsubsidized employment placements, training, and employment retention. The organizations were chosen for their proven experience serving youth, dedication and ability to prioritize racial equity, and capacity to implement high-quality services.

On March 15, 2021, the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC) released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the provision of business services within the WorkSource Seattle-King County system. Services will be funded in accordance with resources from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

On February 18, the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County and National Fund for Workforce Solutions held a live discussion on new research detailing racial disparities in the Seattle-area workforce and how to build an equitable economic recovery. Panel featuring: Marie Kurose, CEO, Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County; Amanda Cage, President and CEO, National Fund for Workforce Solutions; Rich Stolz, Executive Director, OneAmerica; W. Tali Hairston­­, Equity Research Specialist, Root and Branch.

A new report shows that despite Seattle’s reputation as a progressive beacon of economic vitality, deep racial inequities remain in the labor market that are made worse by the pandemic. Using disaggregated data analysis, the report identifies workforce equity strategies that should be implemented to foster broad economic prosperity.