PORT OF
SEATTLE
MEMORANDUM
COMMISSION AGENDA Item No. 7b .
Date of Meeting March 27, 2012
DATE: March 20,
2012
TO: Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer
FROM: Luis Navarro, Director, Office of Social Responsibility
Heather Worthley, Executive Director, Port Jobs
SUBJECT: Port Jobs 2011 Annual Report
SYNOPSIS:
Port Jobs is contractually required to provide an Annual Report to the Port of Seattle Commission. This
report will provide a description of Port Jobs services, their performance results, and the budget for Port
Jobs, which includes both direct and in-kind Port funding, as well as other leveraged sources of funds.
The Port is Port Jobs' largest funder. As provided by the Port Jobs contract, in 2011, the Port provided
$465,000 in direct funding, $162,651 in in-kind support, and $140,000 for the Apprenticeship
Opportunities Project (AOP), an amount that represents the combined contribution of $50,000 from the
Port and $90,000 from certain remaining contracts that have a $.20/labor hour requirement. In 2011, Port
Jobs also raised $345,393 as additional funding from private foundation grants, the City of Seattle, King
County, the state and the federal government. Total funding from all sources received by Port Jobs was
$1,113,044.
2011 SUMMARY OF PERFORMANCE RESULTS:
•
Airport Jobs: Served 8,773 job seekers, and facilitated 682 hires through job listings with 66 airport
employers at an average hourly wage of $9.31.
•
The Apprenticeship Opportunities Project (AOP): Placed 85 people in apprenticeships and trades-
related jobs, with an average wage of $18.54. It also provided support services to an additional 107
individuals for tuition, clothing, tools, and supplies.
•
Airport University: One hundred airport workers took college level classes and career upgrade
training, including online job application assistance, resume writing and interview preparation.
•
Transportation and Logistics:
o Customized Training: Port Jobs partnered with Highline Community College, a licensed SuperHost
institution, to develop a customized Transportation and Logistics Customer Service 101 training.
Licensed SuperHost institutions provide an industry-recognized certification standard that allows
workers to ascend career ladders in customer service positions. This customized training prepares
workers for career advancement by upgrading their skills. It incorporates “Sea-Tac Airport 101”, an
overview of airport operations, carries transferable college credits, and includes the SuperHost
credential. Twenty-four workers successfully completed the course.
COMMISSION AGENDA
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer
March 20, 2012
Page 2 of 4
o Assistance to Drayage Truckers: As requested by the Port, Port Jobs conducted outreach to Port-
related drayage truck drivers who might be displaced as a result of the new Clean Truck standards
that went into effect in January 2011. However, the Seaport terminals did not experience a high
numbers of truck drivers needing assistance. Nonetheless, Port Jobs followed up by upgrading the
registration process and database at the Airport Jobs center to track those job seekers who have
Commercial Drivers Licenses and those with Port drayage driving experience.
BACKGROUND:
In 1993, the Port spearheaded the creation of Port Jobs, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with the
objective of developing practical workforce development services and supporting public policies that
increase access to living wage jobs in the Port-related economy. The mission of Port Jobs is "to develop
strategies to employ more skilled workers in Port-related businesses, and create opportunities for those
who have typically been underrepresented in such jobs.” The Port Jobs contract is managed by the Port’s
Office of Social Responsibility (OSR).
As an independent non-profit, Port Jobs is able to leverage the Port's funding by securing additional
funding from other governments and private foundations. Port Jobs currently secures funding from the
City of Seattle, King County, the State of Washington, the federal government, and through competitive
grant processes from private foundations and United Way. The Port has contracted the services of Port
Jobs to support the Port's mission of creating family-wage industrial jobs and workforce training in the
aviation and maritime sectors in King County, and as a Port-sponsored program that promotes economic
development.
On March 2, 2010, the Washington State Legislature approved House Bill 2651,which became RCW
53.08.245 providing port districts with the authority to contract with nonprofit corporations for economic
development activities, which can include job training and placement programs, pre-apprenticeship
training or educational programs associated with Port tenants, customers and local port-related economic
development, that are: (1) sponsored by a Port; (2) operated by a nonprofit entity; and (3) in existence on
June 10, 2010. RCW 53.08.245 also requires that the Port annually receive quantitative information on
program outcomes, including the number of workers trained, recruited and placed; the types of jobs and
range of compensation, the number and types of businesses served and tangible benefits realized as a result
of these programs.
In August 2010, the Port eliminated the $.20/hour charge to certain Port construction contractors for all
new construction contracts. Beginning in 2011, as part of the new three-year contract, direct funding for
the Apprenticeship Opportunities Project was added to OSR’s budget to be included in the Port Jobs’
contract to replace the previous contractors’ payments.
The impact of the global economic recession remains particularly difficult for the diverse target population
served by Port Jobs. Port Jobs continues to adapt to the new economic reality by offering an effective
combination of services through Airport Jobs and the Apprenticeship Opportunities Project, including
targeted outreach to veterans as they transition to civilian careers.
COMMISSION AGENDA
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer
March 20, 2012
Page 3 of 4
PORT JOBS SERVICES DESCRIPTION:
Airport Jobs: Since 2000, Port Jobs' Airport Jobs center has served Sea-Tac Airport with a dual-
customer focus: airport employers and airport job seekers, many of whom
are
incumbent airport
employees looking for career upgrade opportunities.
Employer services include listing open jobs both online and in the office, coordinating special hiring
events for start-ups or multiple hires, and providing new hires assistance with the Secure
Identification Display Area (SIDA) test. Successful passage of this test is a process required by the
Transportation Security Administration as for all airport employees necessary to obtain a security badge,
which provides unescorted access to the secured areas of the Airport.
Employee and applicant
services provided by Port Jobs at Sea-Tac Airport also
include:
•
Outreach and direct employment services to match job seekers and airport employers at
a
central
location in the airport
terminal;
•
Development and maintenance of a public website that lists current airport
openings (www.airport
jobs.org)
through a
daily updated job listing
for
current airport
openings;
•
Participation in outreach events and job fairs, including the "Hire America’s Heroes"
event
at
Qwest
Field;
•
Specialized recruitment for target employers with unique staffing needs; such as training
instruction
on airport functions, operations, and safety;
•
Development and maintenance of a database that tracks key metrics
including
demographic
information on all job seekers, hiring data, and potential openings. Airport Jobs has also been
chosen as a WorkSource Connection site to increase access to job openings outside of the airport.
Apprenticeship Opportunities Project (AOP): AOP targets low income apprentices and provides
support services such as tools, work boots, tuition support, career exploration and job placement
assistance. Port Jobs contracts with the non-profit agency Apprenticeships and Non-Traditional
Employment for Women (ANEW) for AOP services. ANEW provides services to men and women in
King County to prepare for and apply to apprenticeship programs in construction.
Since 1994, AOP has helped more than 1,800 people enter apprenticeship and trades-related jobs. Two
studies (1998 and 2007) found that AOP recruited a sizeable percentage of the women and people of color
who entered apprenticeship in King County. Also, apprentices who received services from AOP had a
higher retention rate than the overall retention rate for King County apprentices in the same trades.
Airport University: Offers job skills training and academic college credits through a partnership with
Highline Community College which brings courses onsite to Sea-Tac Airport workers. Airport University
includes Business Technology and Customer Service classes as well as online application workshops and
interview preparation.
COMMISSION AGENDA
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer
March 20, 2012
Page 4 of 4
CENTURY AGENDA
The Port of Seattle has made a commitment to continue supporting workforce development as part of its
Century Agenda Strategic Goals to add 100,000 Port-related jobs over the next 25 years. One of the Port’s
goals is to increase workforce training, job and business opportunities for local communities in trade,
tourism, travel and logistics. The Port considers Port Jobs an important part of that effort.
OTHER DOCUMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS BRIEFING:
•
Port Jobs 2011 Funding
•
Port Jobs 2011 Annual Report
•
Port Jobs 2011 PowerPoint Presentation
