Template revised April 12, 2018.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No. 11a
BRIEFING ITEM Date of Meeting May 27, 2025
DATE: May 20, 2025
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: Anna Pavlik, Director, Workforce Development
SUBJECT: 2024 Workforce Development Annual Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
"Talent is equally distributed; opportunity is not." -Leila Janah
It is well documented that people of color are underrepresented in many living-wage careers in
port-related industries. As a significant economic driver in our region, the Port is well-positioned
to address inequities in access to living-wage careers. This is why we are investing in workforce
development to move people of diverse backgrounds from jobs that simply pay the bills to
careers that provide living wages, long-term career progression, and good working conditions.
Not only does this work align with our values, but our investment in this work ensures the success
and long-term future of port-related industries.
The Workforce Development (WFD) team builds external partnerships with community-based
organizations and industry employers to support equitable access to well-paying, port-related
careers in maritime, construction, aviation, and green jobs. As port-related industries face
employment challenges including an aging workforce, staff shortages, and a lack of awareness
about career options, WFD’s outreach strategies focus on communities who have not had
visibility into these jobs, as well as those who have been disproportionately impacted by the
Port’s activities—particularly communities of color, immigrants and refugees, youth, women, and
low-income communities.
The Port is investing in our region by creating access for people of diverse backgrounds to move
into quality, living-wage careers in port-related industries. Since 2019, the Port has invested
almost $17M in regional workforce development in the maritime, construction, and aviation
industries and the green jobs in each of those industries. Port investments resulted in more than
1,200 people trained in high-demand, living-wage careers like General Carpenter pre-
apprenticeship, Aviation Maintenance Technician, and Advanced Logistics. Additionally, more
than 3,000 job seekers and employees at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) received job
readiness and career advancement training like Homeland Security, food handlers, Microsoft
Office, and badge training. From 2019 to 2024, over 8,500 people were employed at the airport
and in port-related industries thanks to Port investments.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11a Page 2 of 8
Meeting Date: May 27, 2025
Template revised September 22, 2016.
BACKGROUND
In 2020, the Port of Seattle Commission adopted the Workforce Development Policy Directive
(Resolution 3776) to fulfill the Century Agenda’s strategic objective of advancing regional
workforce development in port-related industries to provide equitable access to quality, living-
wage careers. OEDI implements most of this objective by making strategic investments in
workforce development with over $3.6M in workforce development investments in 2024. With
collaboration across Port teams and with many community and employer partners, OEDI works to
expand the talent pipeline to address labor shortages in both Port of Seattle employment and
maritime, aviation, and construction sectors. Building career awareness, offering workforce
training, and improving job quality are all primary strategies used by the Port to meet our century
agenda goals. This report details the Port’s commitments, major initiatives, and progress in
addressing inequities that create wealth gaps in our region, highlighting both successes and
challenges.
2024 RESULTS
In 2024, the Port of Seattle’s workforce development investments resulted in:
1,515 job, internship, and apprenticeship placements
Hourly wage at placement in aviation averaged $20.65
Hourly wage for construction placements averaged $32.67
89% of the participants supported by the Port’s workforce development efforts were
Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)
78% of the participants live in low equity areas of King County
102 employers hired program participants or provided youth career-connected learning
opportunities
Many structurally excluded individuals – such as BIPOC, immigrants and refugees, and women –
received training and employment services. In 2024, 89% of those served with Port-funded
training and career services were BIPOC, and 41% identified as women. In addition to employers,
other important partners in the Port’s workforce development efforts included community-
based organizations, other public agencies, and the regional workforce development system.
Aviation Sector
In 2024, SEA Airport set a record with over 52.6 million passengers – the forecast is expected to
grow further in 2025. This increase in travel means the Port’s workforce investments in aviation
are more important than ever.
Airport Employment Center
Port Jobs operates the Airport Employment Center and placed people into 1,408 jobs in 2024.
This is a decrease of 570 jobs from 2023, but this is attributed to a number of factors including a
decrease in hiring across the region and at SEA along with the cybersecurity attack the Port
suffered in Fall 2024. Some individuals were hired into multiple positions, with a total of 1,202
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11a Page 3 of 8
Meeting Date: May 27, 2025
Template revised September 22, 2016.
people placed into 1,408 jobs in 2024. Eighty-seven airport employers hired workers via the
Airport Employment Center. In addition, 758 airport workers completed 867 trainings.
In 2024, the Airport Employment Center provided services to SEA airport companies to fill open
positions and to support community members, SEA employees, and laid-off employees in finding
employment and building skills for career advancement. Port Jobs services included:
A “Hotlist” of job openings at SEA Airport available online and sent weekly to community-
based organizations and colleges
In-person, open interview events in partnership with airport companies at SEA
In-person and remote job search assistance, including support for recent refugees and
immigrants
Job readiness training, such as Security Identification Display Area (SIDA) badge training
preparation to help English language learners obtain the updated SIDA badge
Free college classes for career pathways and skill building
In addition to Airport Employment Center services, the Port provided dedicated funding which
allowed Port Jobs to work intensively with Partner in Employment (PIE), Asian Counseling and
Referral Service (ACRS), and Congolese Integration Network (CIN) to deliver pre-employment
workforce development services to 90 asylum seekers who sought refuge at the Riverton Park
United Methodist Church and were moved to the SeaTac DoubleTree Hotel. With support from
Port Jobs and these consortium agencies, 130 asylum seekers completed community intake
registrations and received in-person training-related services at Airport Jobs.
2024 Aviation Impact
Airport Employment Center 2021 2022 2023
2024
Job placements (# of jobs) 1,211 1,479 1,978 1,408
Job placements (# of people) N/A 1,187 1,594 1,202
Average hourly wage @ placement $17.02 $18.82 $20.03 $20.65
Hiring employers 80 82 93 87
Training enrollments (including SIDA support) 247 539 1,093 1,031
Training completions (including SIDA support) 200 573 1,012 867
Aviation Career Pathways: Aviation Maintenance Technician
Training enrollments 23 18 25 25
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11a Page 4 of 8
Meeting Date: May 27, 2025
Template revised September 22, 2016.
Training completions 17 11 15 21
Aviation Career Pathways: Ground Support Equipment Mechanic
Training enrollments
12
Training completions
10
Participant demographics: 93% BIPOC (23% Asian, 51% African/African American/Black, 11%
Spanish/Hispanic/Latino, 1% American Indian/Alaska Native, 4% Pacific Islander/Native
Hawaiian), 7% White, and 3% Other; 58% male, 42% female; 78% from structurally excluded ZIP
codes (low or very low on the Port’s Equity Index).
Types of jobs: 50% airline operations/passenger support, 23% restaurant operations, 16%
janitorial, 6% warehouse/freight, 3% retail operations, 2% security, and 1% skilled trades.
Aviation Career Pathways: Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT)
The Port of Seattle, Port Jobs, and South Seattle College have partnered since 2021 to offer an
Introduction to Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT) course at SEA. This 12-week college
preparatory course exposes participants to the AMT profession and prepares them for the
college’s two-year FAA-approved AMT program. The 25 participants in 2024 were 84% BIPOC,
32% women, and were primarily airport workers in entry-level jobs such as ramp agents, fuelers,
taxi/ride-share drivers, and food service workers. Students gain valuable math and study skills,
financial aid support, and a $1,000 scholarship from Port Jobs’ Alaska Airlines-Airport University.
Aviation maintenance technician positions are in high demand and can pay salaries over $85,000.
Aviation Career Pathways: Ground Support Equipment Training Program (GSE)
In 2024, the first cohort of 11 students successfully graduated from the new Ground Support
Equipment (GSE) Mechanic training program. This exciting new offering follows the same model
as the AMT program, meaning the training takes place on-site at SEA, prioritizes current SEA
airport workers, and participants receive training on the GSE mechanic profession, relevant math
coursework, and college-prep. Upon completion, participants are eligible to enroll in the two-
year GSE mechanic program at South Seattle College. Ground Support Equipment mechanic
positions offer annual salaries ranging from $62,000 – $80,000.
Construction Trades Sector
In 2024, in partnership with the training programs ANEW, NWCI, Urban League, PACT, and the
Ironworkers Local 86 Pre-apprenticeship, 144 community members completed construction pre-
apprenticeship training. 73% of those trained were BIPOC and, of those placed, 55% were also
BIPOC. The average hourly wage for new workers went up to $32.67.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11a Page 5 of 8
Meeting Date: May 27, 2025
Template revised September 22, 2016.
Placements have been stagnant for the past few years – the downturn in the commercial sector
is affecting hiring across the construction industry. While regional construction projects and
employment are down, the Port anticipates 1,050 workers needed through 2027.
In 2024, we also began our Leadership Development program with ANEW. Construction
contractors were consulted to create the curriculum that guides this program to focus on the soft
and technical skills needed for leadership roles. We currently have 9 journeypersons and senior
apprentices enrolled in the program.
Construction Results
Year 2021 2022 2023 2024
Enrolled 274 209 157 163
Training completions 180 187 138 144
Placements (apprenticeships,
trades-related jobs)
101 125 71 72
Hiring employers 42 63 14 10
Hourly wage @ placement $25.61 $23.14 $32.37 $32.67
Numbers include those from construction worker outreach, training, and retention jointly funded by the Port
of Seattle and the City of Seattle.
Participant demographics: 73% BIPOC (5% Asian, 36% Black/African American, 20%
Hispanic/Latino, 2% Native American/Alaskan Native, 4% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 6%
Multi-Race), 25% White, 2% Not reported; 69% men, 29% women; 54% from structurally
excluded ZIP codes.
Types of jobs: Electricians, installers/helpers, bricklayers, ironworkers, HVAC technicians,
painters, laborers, carpenters, sheet metal workers, and piledrivers.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11a Page 6 of 8
Meeting Date: May 27, 2025
Template revised September 22, 2016.
Maritime Sector
The Youth Maritime Career Launch (YMCL) is a pilot program that partners with community
organizations and maritime industry employees to create pathways for young people between
the ages of 18-24 to gain employment in the maritime industry. Through 2024, the program’s
cohorts have placed a total of 45 participants into internships— over 80% of interns identified as
people of color. YCML has recruited over 20 maritime employers who have provided interns with
work experience in shipyards, recreational boating facilities, and on ferries. Interns who
successfully completed training earned credentials in Basic Safety Training, Transportation
Workers’ Identification Cards, and Merchant Mariners Credentials and accrued sea time making
them competitive and prepared for full-time employment in entry-level maritime roles.
Youth Maritime Career Launch 2023 2024
Enrollments
40 33
Training Completions
25 28
Placements into Internships
21 24
Hiring Employers
10 9
Hourly Wage at time of placement
$19.14
21.09
Youth Maritime Career Launch began in 2023. Placements into internships reflects the number of individual
participants, each counted only once regardless of the number of internships completed.
Overall enrollment declined from 2023 to 2024 due to a more rigorous vetting process introduced
by Washington Maritime Blue and The Urban League. While this reduced the total number of
participants, it significantly improved training outcomes, with a higher percentage of interns
successfully completing the program. Although there was a slight drop in the number of hiring
employers in 2024, many chose to host multiple interns, which helped increase the overall
number of internship placements.
Participant demographics: 73% BIPOC (5% Asian, 53% Black/African American, 10%
Hispanic/Latino, 5% Native American/Alaskan Native), 28% White; 72% men, 15% women, 13%
Non-Binary; 56% from communities considered structurally excluded.
Types of jobs: Electrical installer, deckhand, technician apprentice, Structural fitter and welder
helper, marine mammal rehabilitator, general laborer, administrative assistant dockmaster,
electrical intern, shipyard laborer, production intern, maritime security, boat shop intern, wiper
intern, shipyard assistant.
Maritime High School
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11a Page 7 of 8
Meeting Date: May 27, 2025
Template revised September 22, 2016.
For the 2024 – 2025 school year, 134 students were enrolled, compared to 121 in the previous
school year. Among the 2024-2025 student population, 51% identify as white, 49% BIPOC, 27%
women, 6% non-binary, and 67% men. For the 11
th
and 12
th
grade programs, the school continues
to develop and evaluate relationships with education partners that will provide maritime-specific
education that will support direct entry to maritime careers and keep a pathway open to a 4-year
university. A new partnership with the welding program at Vigor Shipyards through South Seattle
College was created to respond to student interest in marine construction.
Green Jobs
Most green jobs are not new occupations; they are existing occupations in construction,
manufacturing, transportation, and professional services. Among all port-related sectors, a 2022
Seattle Jobs Initiative report anticipated that electrical and HVAC construction occupations would
have the highest green job demand in electricians and HVAC occupations. In 2024, Port-funded
pre-apprenticeship training programs trained and placed 28 community members into
apprenticeships focusing on clean and renewable energy, including the construction, installation,
maintenance, and operation of these systems.
From 2020-2024, the Duwamish Valley Green Jobs program taught participants about the local
environment, the ecological history of the Duwamish River, and several environmental
restoration methods. In 2024, 87 participants, both youth and adults, exited the program with a
deepened sense of connection to environmental restoration efforts in their community and a
heightened interest in pursuing Port-related careers. The contract with Dirt Corps for the
Duwamish Valley Green Jobs program expired in September 2024, and OEDI and External
Relations have revamped the fund, shifting from building career awareness in green jobs to
providing career navigation services to connect Duwamish Valley community members to port-
related careers.
In addition to last year, the Coalition of Climate Careers (C3) held the second Green Jobs Green
Futures Summit. The event, co-sponsored by the Port of Seattle, King County, and City of Seattle,
attracted over 400 community members who participated in interactive demonstration stations
highlighting career opportunities in the green economy. Looking ahead, C3 will focus on securing
long-term, collaborative funding to build a sustainable, inclusive green workforce. By aligning
with public and private partners, C3 looks to ensure frontline communities in King County have
equitable access to green careers along with the knowledge and resources necessary to transition
into the green economy.
MOVING FORWARD
To create transformational change and invest in career development, not just finding people jobs,
OEDI recommends that the Port continue:
Strong partnerships within the Port, with public agency partners, and with our community
partners to co-invest, identify community career interests, build career awareness among
youth, near-port communities and beyond.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11a Page 8 of 8
Meeting Date: May 27, 2025
Template revised September 22, 2016.
Offering a breadth of services from career awareness building to job training to career
advancement, which not only helps the Port fill current workforce needs but also helps
plan for the future.
OEDI is developing a workforce development strategic plan and anticipates including the
following growth opportunities:
Strategic investments leveraging regional resources, providing tailored services and
including clear outcomes
Strengthening the Port’s internal contracting infrastructure
Build on commitments like the Duwamish Community Benefits Commitment, Priority Hire
Order, Muckleshoot and Suquamish MOAs, etc.
Workforce Development and South King County Community Impact Fund staff are working on
several contract improvements to ensure our investments create even greater community
outcomes, better clarity with our partners, increased program oversight, and more efficient
contract management. OEDI completed some improvements in 2024, such as standardized
reporting and invoice templates, and continues to make improvements in 2025, such as setting
up program monitoring plans and standardized, defined metrics. We will continue to execute all
improvements with an equity-informed, community-minded, strengths-based approach to
contract management.
The Port has a bold century agenda vision to add 100,000 jobs through economic growth led by
the Port, for a total of 300,000 Port-related jobs in the region. To ensure the jobs created can be
filled and benefit our communities, more workforce development planning, convening, policy,
partnerships, and investments are needed. We have much to be proud of in terms of the
commitment made by all port departments, our community impacts, and yet still so much further
to go to reach the Port’s vision and equitable outcomes for near-port communities.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING
(1) Presentation Slides
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
(1) March 2025 – The Commission adopted the Duwamish Valley Career Navigator Program
(2) October 2024 – The Commission extended the Youth Maritime Career Launch Program
(3) July 2024 - The Commission was briefed on the 2023 WFD Annual Report
(4) June 2023 – The Commission was briefed on the 2022 WFD Annual Report
(5) February 2022 – The Commission approved a Youth Career Launch Program
(6) June 2020 – The Commission adopted the Workforce Development Resolution 3776
