Supported by United Way of King County

Port Jobs is not-for-profit action tank that develops practical programs and supports public policies that increase access to living wage jobs, fostering a more vibrant and equitable economy for residents of and businesses in Seattle and King County. We make good jobs easier to get and good employees easier to find, primarily in the port-related economy.

A 501(c)(3) organization, Port Jobs: engages in innovative research to increase shared knowledge; creates powerful partnerships in key action areas; and develops practical programs that provide important services to jobseekers, employers and our local community.

Quick Links and Recent News

• Good Jobs are Ahead!
  Is Washington's workforce ready?

Join us on December 4^th for a policy forum, as we hear from national and local experts about how we can improve opportunities for Washington's workers and strengthen our state's businesses. 

December 4^th, 2009
8:30am – 12:30pm
South Seattle Community College
Georgetown Campus
6737 Corson Ave. South
Seattle, WA 98108

Learn more at www.portjobsforums.org

Register at www.portjobsforums.org/register

• From the Work Station to Graduation - On June 5, 2009 Port Jobs held a forum to discuss ways to improve college success for working adult students.  There were over 150 people in attendance from all over Washington State. Another forum on educational attainment is slated for this coming fall.
• Postsecondary Completion for All Students: Setting a New Standard and A Menu of Alternative Procedures by James Rosenbaum, Northwestern University. (pdf)
• Applied Baccalaureate Degrees at Washington Community Colleges (pdf)
• The Apprenticeship Opportunities Project (AOP) was created in 1994 to help low-income individuals, women, and people of color enter and succeed in apprenticeship and trades-related jobs in King County.  The 2006-2008 Program Report has just been completed.
• 39% Interest?! Don't get burned buying a used car. So reads the headline of a story in the November 13, 2008 edition of The Seattle Times. For more used car-buying tips, and a story on Working Wheels, just follow the links.
• The followup report on Port Jobs' first Logistics and International Trade study has been completed.  Logistics and International Trade: Career Ladders and Training Programs in an Evolving Sector looks into how, "As hiring practices in the LIT sector change, new training programs are being developed to meet the needs of employers and workers in the industry. Job training and placement in LIT have developed without much planning, while the sector has grown dramatically.  Today, workforce intermediaries, community colleges and employers have a unique opportunity to develop an employment system that could help LIT workers improve their skills and career opportunities, while providing employers with a more skilled and productive workforce." (11/7/08)
• Exploring the increasing role that community colleges are playing as a greater percentage of U.S. residents are made up of immigrants, Christopher Connell's report, The Vital Role of Community Colleges in the Education and Integration of Immigrants features Port Jobs' own Airport University.  Just published by Grantmakers Concerned With Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR), this report posits that, "How we incorporate immigrants into every facet of U.S. society -- and prepare them for a job market that increasingly relies on skilled workers -- will determine the economic future of our country."  (11/7/08)
• The Impact of the Apprenticeship Opportunities Project (AOP): Helping People Enter and Succeed in Apprenticeship.  This new study looks at the impact of AOP on King County building and construction trades' apprenticeship programs.
• The 2007 Update of Apprentice Utilization Goals and Requirements: A Countywide Impact Study is online.
• The Working In King County Task Force Executive Summary from 1992 is now online.
• Airport University Policy Brief: Next Steps for Promoting the Education and Advancement Efforts of Incumbent Workers at Sea-Tac Airport, July 2008
• Port Jobs in the news:  Seattle Times article, "Truckers who keep Port humming are pushed to brink as costs soar" by Seattle Times staff report Bob Young.(6/15/08).
    "Short-haul drivers like Baljinder "Nick" Singh are a vital but
     almost invisible cog in global trade, moving cargo from huge
     ships to nearby   warehouses and rail yards. About 1,800 of
     these drivers work in the Seattle area, and most are immigrants
     from East Africa, India and Russia who see the job as a step
     onto this country's economic ladder.
• Sectoral Strategies for Low-Income Workers video of the briefing on Capitol Hill on February 13, 2008 features Susan Crane, Executive Director of Port Jobs.
• As the LIT sector grows alongside the burgeoning movement of cargo, can this new sector provide the same kind of career opportunities once provided by Manufacturing? Find out in the  Employment in Logistics and International Trade: Opportunities and Limitations report written by Port Jobs.  (pdf)
• Port Jobs' Spring 2008 Newsletter is now available online.  Contact Port Jobs to get on our mailing list to have a the next issue sent to your door.
• Pursuit of the Dream:  Cars and Jobs in America
  Click on the link for a short preview of the 2007 documentary exploring the relationship between a quality job and vehicle ownership. Contact Port Jobs to order a copy.
• An extended preview of the documentary is available for viewing on director Norm Klotz' website.
• The Aspen Institute recently published Sector Strategies In Brief
  (pdf), based on Sector Strategies for Low-Income Workers: Lessons from the Field, which contains several examples highlighting Port Jobs.  See pages 40, 68, and 82 (pdf).
• Airport Jobs Update
  Airport University classes are a great retention strategy for airport employers, and college scholarships are available now. Learn more.