Senate Democrats Jobs Package

Talent

Expanded worker retraining

The recent announcements of 4,500 Boeing lay-offs and the likely job terminations from the potential closure of the Seattle P-I are the latest in a string of job losses employees and employers are facing across our state. The 11,600 unemployed workers served by retraining programs in 2008 represent a 25 percent increase over the previous year. That rate of increase is expected to double this year.

Training, retraining, and other investments in Washington’s workforce can help us retain jobs and capture new jobs in emerging fields.  Workers need top-notch skills to be prepared for the jobs of today and tomorrow.  And employers need a skilled workforce to innovate, grow, and remain competitive. We’ll propose reforms to our worker training programs to ensure workers and employers have the tools they need to be competitive.

“Creating and protecting jobs – that’s our most important priority this Legislative session. We need to return people to the workforce, and provide them with the skills they need to secure jobs in the occupations of the future.” Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle

 “Studies show workers entering the work force today will change jobs 16 times by the time they reach age 30. We need to provide training for those jobs, and we need to focus our training on the jobs that will provide the most meaningful employment.”Sen. Jim Kastama, D-Puyallup

More career opportunities in health care

There is a shortage of more than 12,000 health care workers in Washington ranging from dental hygienists and pharmacists to nurses and radiology technologists. We can solve this problem and get our economy moving again by training unemployed workers-particularly women- to enter the growing health care industry; and providing current health care professionals with opportunities to move up the career ladder. We will look at tapping federal economic stimulus funds or unemployment insurance funds to make this proposal a reality.

"The health care sector is one part of the economy that is still growing. Creating a pathway for unemployed workers to enter the industry- and helping those already in the field advance- makes a lot of economic sense. This proposal will allow more people to enter the health care field for the first time, and it gives current health care workers a way to move up the career ladder. This is the type of economic investment we need to get people back to work and address the shortage of health care workers in Washington.” Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent

Smarter work study

We propose expanding the state work study program, focusing on providing more opportunities in private sector jobs in high-demand sectors of the economy such as science, technology, engineering, and math fields.  In addition to provide critical help to students to help them pay for college, this will strengthen the connection between college and careers, providing real-world experiences that open doors, help students refine their career goals, and encourage program or degree completion. (SB 5044)

“Washington’s employers can become more competitive with access to a greater pool of homegrown talent. Smarter work study programs can help students pay for college, empower them with experience in growing industries and emerging sectors of the economy, and give employers access to new talent.” Sen. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor