The Port Jobs program has been successful since 1993. The non-profit organization is intended to educate and train individuals into airport, building and construction careers.
Unfortunately, the support of the organization is diminishing as well as funding to continue. In the peak of its lifetime, the organization created 52,400 jobs in the King and Snohomish counties in a matter of 12 months. Rep. Dave Upthegrove (D-Des Moines) is trying to regain support for the organization.
"In the past decade, over 14,000 job seekers in South King County have turned to the services of Port Jobs," says Upthegrove. "And employers know when a candidate is referred to them through Port Jobs, that person's qualifications have been thoroughly vetted."
Heather Worthley, Executive Director of Port Jobs, continues, "Port Jobs has connected thousands of job seekers with employers at Sea-Tac Airport, and to apprenticeships in the skilled construction trades. In this economy, we are doing everything we can to get people to work, and to help them stay employed once they get there."
Upthegrove is sponsoring House Bill 2651 which authorizes ports to support job placements and training programs Port Jobs is already consistent with. Under additional provisions, the proposed House Bill makes it so that Port jobs is to be required to submit an annual report to the port of Seattle detailing the number of successful job placements. For the previous year, Port Jobs placed more than 500 people through its Airport Jobs office.
"Our focus this year in Olympia is to create jobs and improve our economy, and this bill is all about jobs," Upthegrove concludes.g
The bill is currently awaiting possible action on the House floor. For more information on this bill, check out www.wa.gov.
is a member of the 
Be the first to comment on this article!