Template revised January 10, 2019.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No. 10c
ACTION ITEM Date of Meeting September 9, 2025
DATE: September 2, 2025
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: Robert Brown, Program Manager & Data Analyst for Maritime & Green Jobs,
Workforce Development
Anna Pavlik, Director, Workforce Development
Bookda Gheisar, Senior Director, Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
SUBJECT: Evaluation of Youth Maritime Career Launch Pilot and Authorization Request for
Maritime Workforce Investments Phase 1
Amount of this request: $2,170,000
ACTION REQUESTED
Request Commission to authorize the development and implementation of an Expanded
Maritime Workforce Investment Strategy and authorizing the Executive Director to execute
contracts for the first phase of a new maritime workforce investment strategy for the next three
years (2026 – 2028). This delegation of authority will direct the Port of Seattle to contract up to
a total of $2.17 million to organizations providing recruitment, employer engagement, job
training, and career services in the maritime industry.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Expiring in October 2025, the three-year Youth Maritime Career Launch pilot experienced both
successes and challenges in creating career pathways for youth (18-24) in the maritime industry.
Based on this pilot, the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (OEDI) is recommending a strategy
shift, moving away from building maritime career awareness through internships to investing in
credential training and career services with increased employer commitment. OEDI also
recommends expanding services to all adults in near-port communities, and to do so, would
contract with training provider(s), community-based organizations, and an industry liaison to
provide community outreach, recruitment of job seekers, employer collaboration, maritime job
training, and ongoing career support. The partners will deliver a model that aligns in-depth
training with industry needs, develops sector-specific career services (e.g., shoreside and
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 10c Page 2 of 8
Meeting Date: September 9, 2025
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
underway employment tracks), and provides continuous career support while participants are in
training, looking for work, and after they are employed.
JUSTIFICATION
OEDI staff evaluated the outcomes of the Youth Maritime Career Launch and met with current
partners, Port staff, industry associations, training providers, and the Northwest Center of
Excellence for Marine Manufacturing & Technology to determine what an expanded program
could look like. Incorporating this feedback, OEDI proposed funding and programming will serve
both of the Century Agenda’s Workforce Development goals – (1) to create equitable access to
port-related careers and (2) to leverage Port impact and innovation by both increasing the supply
of diverse workers prepared to work in the maritime industry and increasing the supply of
employers willing and prepared to hire and support those workers. This investment strategy will
help meet the interests and needs of maritime employers while also preparing community
members for quality, family-wage careers in the maritime sector, not just jobs.
DETAILS
Youth Maritime Career Launch Evaluation
In February 2022, the Commission enacted a three-year Youth Career Launch Order (2022-02) to
determine how to implement a permanent and sustainable maritime youth employment
program for young people between the ages of 16-24; to provide Workforce Development
preparation and launch opportunities in port-related industries; and to align with other Port,
regional, and state priorities. In April 2022, the Commission added $2 million to the pilot fund
from the Maritime Division, bringing the total to $4.1 million (2022-05) and directed Port staff to
return in 2024 to report on program evaluation and recommendations. In October 2024, the
Commission extended the pilot through December 2025 (2024-11).
The Youth Maritime Career Launch pilot was developed during COVID as part of the Opportunity
Youth Initiative and sought to provide an entry point for diverse youth ages 18-24 into the
historically male, white dominated maritime industry. The pilot taught youth about maritime
careers, offered 1–2-week trainings for OSHA and STCW credentials, and provided a 3-month
paid internship to participants based on training completion and employer availability.
Participants exited the program with new skills, work experience, and entry-level industry
credentials. The pilot offered some support for alumni, but it did not result in the permanent hire
of many participants (5 reported). The contracts with Washington Maritime Blue and Urban
League expire in October 2025.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 10c Page 3 of 8
Meeting Date: September 9, 2025
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
Outcomes from the work include the following:
Youth Maritime Career
Launch
2023 2024* 2025 YTD TOTAL
Enrollments 40 33 30 100
Training Completions 25 28 30 83
Youth in Internships 18 24 23 65
Internship Sites 10 9 12 18
Hourly Intern Wage $19.14 $21.09 $21.09 $20.60
*Two cohorts
Youth Maritime Career
Launch by Race and
Gender (2023 - 2025)
Percentage of
Enrollments
Black/African-American 69%
Asian 7%
Latinx 12%
Two or more races 7%
Male 78%
Female 20%
Non-binary 2%
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 10c Page 4 of 8
Meeting Date: September 9, 2025
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
Lessons Learned
Below is an overview of the lessons learned from the Youth Maritime Career Launch pilot.
Successes:
More employer hosts in years 2 and 3, including better commitment with shoreside
employers and employers with aligned missions.
Partnerships with community-based organizations helped build trust and connect
youth to maritime opportunities.
Hands-on exposure to maritime careers sparked genuine interest and helped youth
see themselves in the industry.
Challenges:
Hard to gain buy-in for "at sea" employers due to internship parameters
(schedule, stipend amount, relevant training prior).
Participants needed more hands-on technical training upfront, as employers had limited
capacity to train from the ground up or onboard interns without prior skills.
Youth face accessibility and cultural barriers to employment.
Contract deliverables could have been tied to performance-based outcomes.
Difficult for non-profit community partners to build relationships in a historically white,
male-dominated private industry.
Proposed New Model
The Port seeks to hire several partners to build off lessons learned in YMCL and increase near-
port community access to maritime careers and meet employer demand. OEDI is proposing to
shift from building maritime career awareness through internships to providing career navigation
services and additional training to connect near-port community members to maritime careers.
In Phase 1, OEDI will solicit partners in 2026 to focus on training and placing individuals in
shoreside maritime careers. OEDI is also preparing for a longer-term plan which will be reviewed
by commission separately in Phase 2. We are exploring the development of additional hands-on
training opportunities for underway careers in Phase 2. This future phase would also leverage
our community partners to provide guidance for participants pursuing advanced underway
maritime education, including support with scholarship applications. As this concept evolves, we
will work with our community partners to identify opportunities and resources that strengthen
underway training and maritime career awareness building.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 10c Page 5 of 8
Meeting Date: September 9, 2025
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
Recruitment, case management, and career preparation services
OEDI is positioned to contract a community-based organization(s) to recruit, build maritime
career awareness, assess career pathway options, and prepare participants for training and
employment to transition from low-wage jobs to higher-paying maritime careers. Our
partnership with Washington Alliance for Better Schools (WABS) supports the development of
STEM curriculum for elementary and middle school students, enabling educators to introduce
and sustain maritime career awareness in the classroom. Through Core Plus Maritime, we are
also advancing STCW-aligned curriculum for grades 6–12 to prepare students for the 40-hour
basic training required for entry-level deck positions upon turning 18. Under this model,
community based organization(s) will recruit from Maritime High School, the Suquamish and
Muckleshoot nations, Duwamish residents, as well as South King County Community Impact Fund
recipients and other workforce development partners, to deepen recruitment efforts and
connect community organizations providing career awareness programming with these more
intensive job training and career placement services.
Job Training
In Phase 1, OEDI is prepared to contract a training program(s) to offer 1 – 6-month industry-
recognized, post-secondary education to prepare participants to be hired into the industry.
Examples include:
Maritime Shipyard Training Programs
Pre-Apprenticeships
Additional trainings, certifications, and qualifications (i.e., TWIC, MMC, SCTW, OSHA 10,
sea time accumulation)
Individuals with maritime industry experience who are not in need of training will be directly sent
to the industry liaison for career placement services.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 10c Page 6 of 8
Meeting Date: September 9, 2025
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
Career placement services
OEDI plans to engage employers throughout the assessment, training, and job placement phases
to ensure participants are fully prepared for direct hire. OEDI anticipates hiring an industry liaison
to work closely with industry associations and individual employers to engage them in planning
with community-based organization(s) and training provider(s).
Schedule
OEDI’s goal is to release solicitations as soon as possible for Phase 1 services and enter in contract
in Q2 2026 with services provided Q3 2026 – Q4 2028. OEDI will report outcomes annually in the
annual workforce development report, return to commission for Phase 2 and continue to
monitor impact with internal and external stakeholders.
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
Alternative 1 – Do not release these funds.
Cost Implications: Up to $2.17M in the next three years.
Pros:
(1) Reduces staff time for project delivery support, potentially freeing time for other
efforts.
(2) Allows resources to fund other priorities or programs.
Cons:
(1) The Port would be challenged to meet our workforce development policy directive and
Century Agenda goal to offer workforce development recruitment and career services
and support in the maritime industry.
(2) The Port would miss an opportunity to develop cohorts of local skilled workers ready to
fill maritime workforce needs.
This alternative is not recommended.
Alternative 2 – Continue the Youth Maritime Career Launch program by resoliciting for the same
services.
Cost Implications: Funding remains limited to youth internships instead of meeting employer
demand, however, there would be no new associated costs.
Pros:
(1) Provides career awareness and work experience for young people in maritime
occupations.
(2) The brand of the “Youth Maritime Career Launch” has gained visibility within the
community and among some employers, which helps outreach, participant
recruitment, and reduces startup time.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 10c Page 7 of 8
Meeting Date: September 9, 2025
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
Cons:
(1) Does not result in many residents being placed in maritime careers.
(2) The disconnect between training activities and actual maritime job opportunities
continues. Participants may complete the program without clear or immediate
opportunities for employment.
(3) Maritime employers cannot often host short-term interns and prefer hiring individuals
with technical training, making the current internship-first model hard to sustain.
This alternative is not recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The request of $2.17 million for the next three years of Phase 1 (2026 – 2028) is a decrease in
budget compared to past funding of $4.1 million over the course of four years (2022 – 2025).
However, overall spend for the YMCL pilot was much lower at $1.6 million to date so the
proposed Phase 1 budget is projected to be an increase over past spending. Phase 2 will be
budgeted and authorized separately.
Cost Estimate
/Authorization Summary Capital
Expense
Total
COST ESTIMATE
Original estimate $
$2.17 million
$2.17 million
AUTHORIZATION
Previous authorizations 0
$4.1 million
(2022-05)
$4.1 million
(2022-05)
Current request for authorization 0
$2.17 million
$2.17 million
Total authorizations, including this request 0
$6.27 million
$6.27 million
Remaining amount to be authorized $0
$0
$0
Annual Budget Status and Source of Funds
The Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion intends to use tax levy funds to pay for these
services. The 2026 portion of $670,000 is already included in the 2026 baseline budget.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST
(1) Presentation Slides
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
1) February 8, 2022, the Commission enacted a three-year Youth Career Launch Order
(2022-02) to determine how to implement a permanent and sustainable youth
employment program that connects young people between the ages of 16-24.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 10c Page 8 of 8
Meeting Date: September 9, 2025
Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
2) April 12, 2022, the Commission added $2 million to the pilot fund to bring the total to
$4.1 million (2022-05) and directed Port staff to return in 2024 to report on program
evaluation and recommendations.
3) October 8, 2024, the Commission extended the pilot through Dec. 2025 (2024-11).
