Letter from
OSPI and Boeing

Educators and the advanced manufacturing industry stepped up to provide hands-on learning and career exploration opportunities for students during the 2021–22 school year. We want to take time to reflect and thank teachers and counselors, Washington’s manufacturing industry and families for going above and beyond to inspire, motivate and help equip students with the skills and confidence to pursue well-paying and respected careers.

The dedication and commitment of the Core Plus Aerospace community helped students develop hands-on manufacturing and transferable skills that will help them unleash their potential and find a career where they can thrive and grow. Over the past year:

• A total of 52 partner high schools and skills centers served more than 2,200 students statewide. Demand is growing for high school graduates with advanced manufacturing skills.
• OSPI awarded nearly $900,000 in grants to 23 partner schools to maintain or expand Core Plus Aerospace and advanced manufacturing programs in high school.
• A record number of students participated in the annual Core Plus Aerospace Summer Internship hosted by The Boeing Company. The diverse group of nearly 80 high school students learned real-world, hands-on skills, explored manufacturing career pathways, and networked with Boeing professionals. At the conclusion of the internship, Boeing offered full-time positions to 17 interns who had graduated from high school in June. Nearly 1,000 Core Plus Aerospace graduates like Tanzania Mowatt-Burleson, have been hired by Boeing directly into advanced manufacturing roles after high school.

Core Plus Aerospace has direct ties to universities and the military, the apprenticeship system and the industries which hire our graduates.

Core Plus Aerospace graduates futures are limitless, and their options, endless. They have incredible opportunities here in Washington state, and across the globe. We’re excited to share the stories in this annual report with you and show you the learning coming alive in Core Plus Aerospace classrooms in Washington state. This is learning by doing and it’s helping contribute to a thriving manufacturing industry.