Did you know that much of our state’s manufacturing workforce will retire in the coming years? The door will be open to a new generation of skilled manufacturing professionals. Check out our new video series to get a deeper look at the variety of manufacturing career and educational opportunities available across Washington state. You’ll also learn about the educational paths that can help launch your manufacturing career, from Core Plus coursework in your high school through aligned certificate, degree, and apprenticeship programs. To give you examples of what’s available statewide, the series includes a closer look at opportunities in North Seattle, Yakima County, and Skagit and Whatcom Counties.
Our Explore Your Future video dives into how high school students can jump-start their manufacturing careers through Core Plus Aerospace – highlighting the hands-on skills students learn in high school, as well as options to continue building your skills after graduation.
In this video spotlighting North Seattle College, career navigator Julie Lyderson explains how electronics students gain hands-on experience through internships, build professional networks, and prepare for careers. Baydaa Altaiyar, a North Seattle College graduate in electronic technology, also shares how the program helped her begin a career at Boeing.
In this video showcasing opportunities in Whatcom County, instructor Jared Greenwood from Options High School in Bellingham shares how his Core Plus Aerospace class helps students explore manufacturing careers and use the High School and Beyond Plan as a guide. University of Washington engineering student David Blaze White discusses the technical skills he learned in high school, such as fastener install, how those apply to his life today, and his internships at Boeing.
In our Yakima Valley video, West Valley School District Director of Innovation Christopher Nesmith and West Valley High School machining and welding instructor Tim Sorenson describe the need for a qualified manufacturing workforce in the region. They dig into how the Core Plus Aerospace coursework and Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC) Youth and Apprenticeship program help students build their skills and gain paid, on-the-job experience. Learn more in the video from AJAC Executive Director Demetria Lynn Strickland and Jake Eickmeyer, West Valley High School graduate and current AJAC apprentice at Pasco Machine.