Bottom Line Blog Office of Economic Development

Bottom Line

News from Seattle's Office of Economic Development

Seattle Startup Stories: Armoire

by

Armoire founder Ambika Singh sitting with a coffee mug.

Armoire CEO Ambika Singh.

Armoire is a Seattle-based startup that wants to change the way people—for the moment, mostly women—approach their wardrobes.

Armoire members complete a style profile including questions about size and style preferences. The app then presents a “closet” of items for the member to choose from based on an algorithm and assistance from professional stylists. The chosen items are then shipped to the member’s home. Members wear the pieces for as long as they want, and swap items when they’re ready for something new.

On the business end, Armoire is a team of a little over 22 people—also mostly women—operating out of The Riveter coworking space in Capitol Hill. Armoire’s Founder, Owner and Chief BossLady Ambika Singh sat down with us to talk about her experience building a brand that caters to all women.

Tell us about your background and career leading up to Armoire.

I’m from Seattle, I grew up on the Eastside. I went to college in New Hampshire, pretty much as far away from Seattle as you can get. I really missed it here, so I came back as an intern at Microsoft, twice, which was really different from what I was studying. At the time I was a history major with a concentration in Asian studies. I wrote my thesis about microfinance in India, so landing at Microsoft was not a straight line.

My first startup experience was less than the big success it was expected to be. We went from about 17 people a year in, and then the company laid off 14 of the 17, in my perception, overnight. It was really blindsiding for me.

Ambika and one of her co-founders, Brittany Seabaugh, in the styling room at Armoire.

Ambika and one of her co-founders, Brittany Seabaugh.

Looking back, it was professionally the most devastating thing that had happened to me. The first day was bad, the second day was better, and by three weeks later, I started to pick myself up and walk away. I learned even in the worst case, the worst case is okay. I realized this would not break me, and there would be another thing.

My next startup experience, I actually ended up with Rover. Rover was very cool, because I saw the other side. Which is very addicting. When it works, it’s awesome. We built a team, and it took on a soul of its own very quickly. I was itchy to have more ownership over what we were doing. [Read more…]

Only in Seattle Initiative Request for Applications, Due Oct. 29

by

The Office of Economic Development’s Only in Seattle Initiative strives to build an equitable and vibrant city by fostering neighborhood business districts that are centers of local commerce, community, and culture. With seed funding and expertise, the Initiative supports local businesses, building owners, and residents to unite around a common vision for their district and work together to achieve it. From business coaching, community festivals, and litter cleanup, to murals, outreach and real estate development, Seattle’s business districts have used Only in Seattle to tackle tough issues, attract new investment and care for their communities. Learn more about the Only in Seattle Initiative.

The Only in Seattle Initiative is a partnership between OED, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), and the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods (DON). Approximately $1,400,000 is available (contingent upon federal and City funding allocations) for district grants and services that accomplish goals in the five strategy areas: 

  1. Organization – Neighborhood organizations, residents, property owners and business owners collaborate and work together toward a common vision for the business district. 
  2. Marketing & Events – Local businesses are supported by marketing strategies and events that bring customers and emphasize a positive, consistent image of the district. 
  3. Business Development – Businesses prosper because they are organized, supported by the community and they receive the assistance they need to strengthen and grow their business. New businesses move into the district that complement and improve the business mix.  
  4. Placemaking – The physical environment of a commercial node is inviting and easily accessible by multiple modes of transportation. Real estate development involves community input and vision. Public spaces are maximized to enhance vibrancy and promote social interaction.  
  5. Clean & Safe – The district is clean, and customers, employees, and visitors feel safe and welcome.

 

PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSION
Wednesday, 9/26 at 3:30 pm at the Beacon Hill Library (5813, 2821 Beacon Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144)

Attend the upcoming public information session hosted by the Only in Seattle team to learn more about the 2019 RFA. In addition, your fellow business district managers will share past examples of successful grant applications and projects. OIS staff will be on hand to present a general overview of the program and details about this year’s application, as well as answer any questions.  The event will be held at the Beacon Hill Library at 3:30 pm.

Register now!

 

APPLICATION TIMELINE

  • September 17, 2018, 9:00 am: Request for Applications and Program Description released 
  • September 26, 2018, 3:30 – 5:00 pm: Information Session, Register today!
  • September 17 – October 29:  OIS staff are available for questions and support. Contact our team to schedule an appointment in your community today!
  • October 29, 2018, 5:00 pm: Application deadline  
  • November 5, 6, 7, 9, 2018: Presentations to Only in Seattle Review Committee. Visit the Doodle Poll to select preferred dates/times for your district to present. 
  • December 2018: Notification of funding decisions 

 

STAFF SUPPORT AND OFFICE HOURS

Only in Seattle Initiative application support is available. Contact OIS staff for questions, and one-on-one appointments in your community. Please contact us as far in advance of the application deadline as possible.

OIS staff can provide support in any of the following areas of the application:

  • Review completed or partially completed applications
  • Assist with setup and submittal of application through online grant platform — GoGrants
  • Share Only in Seattle Initiative program overview and details of each tier
  • Provide example applications
  • Review frequently asked questions

OIS staff cannot write or submit your application.

Theresa, Heidi, Mikel, Phillip, and Ken will have office hours dedicated to working with you on any questions or concerns you might have. Please reach out to schedule an appointment.

 

Start your application today!

 

Applications are due on Monday, October 29, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. PST via the online grant system. Late applications and paper copies will not be accepted.

City of Seattle, Seattle Colleges and Kaiser Permanente celebrate first year of medical assistant training scholarships

by

Scholarship recipients lined up, holding backpacks

Program participants received backpacks and a standing ovation at the end of the celebration.

A new public-private partnership is helping address our region’s growing need for medical assistants, while at the same time connecting low-income community members, people of color, and first-generation college students with living-wage careers.

On September 7, representatives from the City of Seattle, Seattle Colleges and Kaiser Permanente gathered with students at the Pacific Tower to celebrate the first year of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Assistant Career Launch Scholarship program. The program provides comprehensive, wrap-around scholarships for 18 students to attend the Seattle Colleges’ Vocational Institute Medical Assisting certificate program. The Seattle Office of Economic Development supports this partnership through its investment in the Seattle Colleges Center for Working Adults, which manages the partnership and coordinates program success.

Mayor Jenny Durkan speaking at a podium

Mayor Durkan addressing the students and their families.

“We know providing true economic opportunity in Seattle starts with providing great jobs,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan. “Investing in high-demand job training allows students to remain in the City we love while building a strong economy for our local businesses. Access to good, family-wage jobs like medical assistants is how we empower our young people, families and communities.”

“This initiative is a true cross-sector collaboration, with each organization bringing their unique expertise to bear to create a win-win-win for employers, community members, and the city at large,” said Kristin Economo, Director of the Center for Working Adults. “Kaiser Permanente knows healthcare, Seattle Colleges understands student success, and the City has provided public sector leadership. Together we are able to address challenges and create impact that no organization could achieve on their own.”

“Nothing is more critical to providing great health care than great health care workers. By teaming up with the Seattle Colleges to support these Medical Assistant students, we’re investing in the future of excellent care in our region,” said Susan Mullaney, President of Kaiser Permanente Washington.

A video shown at the celebration emphasized the very real impact that the scholarship is making for its 18 recipients. “To me, this scholarship is everything,” said one of the students. “I’m a mom, a single mom at that, and balancing school and a newborn is a lot. And just having Kaiser there to push me and have a great future and start an amazing career, I think is really great.”

Medical assisting is one of the fastest-growing occupations both nationally and locally. According to Emsi data, the demand for medical assistants is projected to grow 23 percent by 2022 in King County. Job training partnerships between employers and educational institutions have been shown to benefit students, educators, and employers, and help ensure that employers are able to find skilled workers to fill in-demand positions.

Guests and students mingling.

Medical assistants perform important services such immunizations and blood draws, and investing in their training is beneficial for the entire community. A recent study from Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) found evidence that investing in additional training for medical assistants and expanding their role in a patient’s healthcare can improve outcomes for the chronically ill.

Students, ranging in age from 18 to over 45, took pre-requisite courses this summer in preparation for beginning the medical assistant program this fall. The program includes professional development from Kaiser Permanente medical assistants, tutoring, one-on-one support from a Navigator from the Seattle Colleges’ Center for Working Adults, and wrap-around support in partnership with the Seattle Jobs Initiative and multiple community-based organizations.

The Kaiser Permanente Scholarship eliminates the financial barrier that may have otherwise prevented its students accessing the training they need to pursue this high-demand, living-wage career. Students will take part in a hands-on externship in a clinic during their final quarter, in partnership with a variety of healthcare employers. In addition to professional development, students will participate in team building, mindfulness workshops, and financial coaching, further supporting them for long-term success.

Washington’s agricultural industry can’t afford to lose Mexican immigrants

by

On April 6, 2018, the Trump administration rolled out a new “zero tolerance policy” mandating that all individuals who illegally enter the United States must be prosecuted. Although calling for prosecution of undocumented border crossings is not new, the administration’s inhumane practice of forced family separation represents an extreme shift in this country’s treatment of immigrants, who are often fleeing to the United States to seek refuge. America’s economy has long been built by immigrants, and those coming from the Mexican border have a hand in shaping every industry Washington proudly boasts, from aerospace to tech to entrepreneurship to the state’s multi-billion-dollar agriculture industry, which flows through Seattle’s ports daily.

Contrary to a commonly-perpetuated myth, immigrants do not negatively impact the economy that is taking them in. In fact, Washington immigrants alone contributed $815 million to Medicare and $3 billion to Social Security in 2014. Those who arrive in America are here to work. Mexican immigrants show a higher labor force participation rate (69%) than the native-born population (62%). Immigrants play an important role throughout our entire economy— immigrants make up 18 percent of all entrepreneurs in Washington State. However, this article will focus on the impact of migrant workers on our state-wide agricultural industry.

The United States relies on people immigrating from Mexico in every sector of the economy, particularly in our state’s agricultural sector. 40.4% of all workers in the agricultural, farming, fishing, and forestry industries are immigrants.

For workers, an average day in Washington’s many orchards and farms can start as early as 5 A.M., with the most common minimum yield of three to four bins of apples (four bins for Red Delicious, three bins for every other apple variety), 420 pounds of cherries, 152 pounds of blueberries, or four bins of pears per day, depending on which fruit is in season. Washington’s international agricultural industry is dependent on securing a solid group of workers each agricultural season to pick, process, pack, and manage the produce that reaches global markets.

For Washington farm and orchard immigrant workers, an average day can start as early as 5:00 AM with a minimum yield of 4 bins of apples, 152 pounds of blueberries, 420 pounds of cherries, and 4 bins of pears. Source: https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/employmentdata/docs/industry-reports/2015-agriculture-workforce-report.pdf

However, the population of Mexican-born immigrants in the U.S. has been steadily decreasing since the peak population of 12.8 million in 2007. From 2009 to 2014, U.S. citizen labor has failed to maintain the workforce needed to keep farms at their highest profitable margins. Benton City, Wash. grower Shawn Gay lost one third of his Gala apples three years ago when the lack of labor meant his farm just simply ran out of time to complete the harvest. Auburn, Wash. farmer Rosella Mosby saw $100,000 of profit rot away due to a loss of more than 20% of their workforce. Like Gay and Mosby, many farmers are seeing that native U.S. born workers are not able to make up for the labor gap caused by a declining foreign-born workforce. Fruit goes unpicked which means farms are losing out on precious profits and putting their livelihoods, as well as Washington’s export economy at risk.

It is no wonder that fewer Mexican-born immigrants are coming to fill Washington jobs, with agricultural worker conditions becoming harsher. According to The Economist, “while immigration between 1990 and 2006 had little effect on wages of native-born Americans, it lowered the wages of previous immigrants by 6.7%.” Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regularly raids and audits farms, and the effect is obvious to local farm owners. “There is a lot more concern and worry,” Hedlin Family farm owner Dave Hedlin said in a 2017 interview with Go Skagit. “Even if you have a green card, you worry. Everybody has got to know people who aren’t legal.”

We have too much to lose with a disappearing immigrant population. Washington State is the second largest food distributor in the U.S., which means that the ripple effects of a lesser supply of exports affects the entire world. Our state’s economy is built on the backs, hands, and feet of each migrant worker, who are constantly enduring the fear and worry that the administration has instilled. ICE raids and detention centers are terrorizing and destroying the immigrant communities that have, for years, done the heavy lifting to build this country. We need to be working to protect and build the migrant community, not tearing them down.

Learn more about OED’s work to support Latinx and all small business owners in Seattle here, and understand resources available to immigrants of any background through the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, such as the free Legal Defense Network, free naturalization services and workshops, English as a Second Language job-readiness skills, and more.

 

Small Business of the Month: Villa Escondida

by

Villa Esondida owner Jose Perez and family members in the restaurant kitchen.

Business owner Jose Perez and his family members taking a break from work for a photo.

Seattleites—especially Seattleites who moved here from Mexico or California—will often tell you how hard it is to find good Mexican food in the city, but you have to know where to look. Villa Escondida in Belltown, called “among city’s best Mexican” by the Seattle Times, is one of the only Mexican-owned Mexican restaurants in the downtown area.

Villa Escondida is family-owned and family-run. Owner Jose Perez first opened the restaurant on Capitol Hill with help from his cousin in 2014, before moving to the Belltown location three years ago. Family members including Jose’s wife and mother make up most of the staff at the restaurant, where pretty much everything on the menu is fresh and house-made.

A poster with information about Oaxacan history and culture.

A poster made by Jose’s nephew for a school project hangs in the restaurant.

Jose was born in Oaxaca, Mexico, and moved here with his family in 1998, “just like a lot of people, looking for a better life.” He started what would become his career at the age of 16 and worked different jobs in the food industry. “At some point I got tired of it. Just wanted to do something different,” he says of his decision to open his own restaurant. “We know how to cook. We love doing it, for sure. My mom always taught us how to do it. So it’s just, why not do it ourselves? Instead of working for somebody else, we could work for us.”

The new Belltown location is a perfect spot for the restaurant—spacious, with a great street front patio—but the building came with its share of problems. Jose has had to deal with ceiling leaks and other issues, which are inconvenient for any tenant, and especially destructive for a small business.

Frustrated with constant problems, Jose was connected with the Office of Economic Development’s Lease Education Program. The program helps small business owners understand the terms of their commercial lease as well as their rights as a tenant. In Jose’s case, he also benefited from receiving these services in his first language of Spanish.

Jose sees Villa Escondida as a place where everyone can feel welcome, and where people can come to celebrate Oaxacan community and culture. It’s also important to him to support his community by providing steady paychecks: “We keep growing as a business, and we keep providing opportunity for people who need a job.”

Running the restaurant takes a toll on Jose, especially because his long hours at Villa Escondida mean that his three kids are often asleep both when he gets up for work and when he returns home at night. “I just keep telling them, the purpose of doing this is you guys. I want you guys to have a better life…That’s what makes me keep going.”

You can find Villa Escondida, and meet Jose and his family, at 2203 1st Ave in Belltown. Follow them on Facebook to keep up with their happy hour deals and brunch specials too.

Learn more about lease education and our other services for small businesses on our website, or reach out to us at oed@seattle.gov.

Papel picado (paper decorations) hanging in a string across the Villa Escondida dining area.

OIS Tai Tung Summertime Social + Survey

by

 

The Only in Seattle team would like to thank the business district managers, City colleagues, BIA representatives, business owners, and all attendees that joined the summertime lunch social at Tai Tung on Wednesday, 8/29. Over 45 attendees from all throughout Seattle attended to connect, listen to Special Events Chair Chris Swenson speak about upcoming engagement opportunities regarding the special events cost recovery model, and eat delicious food from Tai Tung; those egg rolls were delicious! A very special thank you to third generation business owner, Harry Chan and his family for hosting us and providing the food. Don’t forget to think about them for your next event, or dinner outing, and compliment them on their new sign, courtesy of SCIDPDA, and OED.

Only in Seattle Request for Applications: The Only in Seattle team announced the upcoming 2019 Request for Applications (RFA) release date of mid-September (check our website for updates). The OIS team is hoping to give applicants at least six weeks to complete the application and consult with staff for questions and support. The RFA will be due on Monday, October 29 and will include a draft code of conduct for inclusion in 2019 awardee contracts. We are asking for feedback on the OIS RFA process and the code of conduct (attached). Take the survey today!

Special Events Chair Announcement: In Chris Swenson’s brief presentation, he mentioned resources, including the Special Events Permit Fees, Process and Policy Feedback handout, and the October 25th seminar, “Learn How You Can Take Your Event To The Next Level And Be A Part Of The Vision Of The Changing Landscape of Special Events,” produced by the Washington Festival and Events Association. Chris will also be reaching out to those that indicated they are interested in engaging with the Special Events committee directly to provide input to the City’s special event fee structure and process. You can also follow up with Chris directly at chris.swenson@seattle.gov. Thanks again, Chris for your thorough presentation!

We look forward to seeing you at the next peer networking event in September. Sign up for the OIS eNewsletter and read the Bottom Line blog for the latest on the next Peer Networking events, RFA information and more.

Thank you again to all the participants and check out photos from the event below (credit Wynn Barnard).

Summertime Social at Tai Tung 8/29/2018

 

A “Win-Win-Win:” Research shows impact of private-public partnerships in job training

by

A Seattle Central College student works on her computer

Photo courtesy Cameron Karsten Photography for Seattle Colleges 2018 marketing campaign at Seattle Central College.

Seattle is enjoying impressively low unemployment rates—the lowest point in 2018 so far was 2.8 percent in April. With so few workers to go around, how is an employer to fill open positions?

The answer to that question, for many employers, is investing in workforce development—that is, making sure that prospective future employees are trained and prepared to fill in-demand positions.

According to a new study from the National Skills Coalition, about 80 percent of jobs in the U.S. require candidates to have some form of training or education beyond high school. This doesn’t mean that most workers will be required to get a four-year degree to be successful. About 53 percent of jobs in our labor market are “middle skill,” meaning they require training beyond high school but not a college degree, according to the same study. However, only 43 percent of workers have the training they need to qualify for these middle skill jobs.

The top six middle-skill annual job openings in King County (from 2014-2020) are bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks; heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers; nursing assistants; computer user support specialists; medical assistants; and preschool teachersThe need for middle skilled workers is apparent in several important industries right here in King County: the Seattle Jobs Initiative projects that there will be shortages of hundreds of workers to fill openings in teaching, nursing and computer support in the coming years, for example.

In order to fill these positions, employers are joining forces with community partners to connect adults with the skills they need to be successful. Community colleges have proven to be particularly effective partners in workforce development efforts locally, and across the country.

Through the Office of Economic Development’s investment in the Seattle Colleges’ Center for Working Adults, (CWA)  the college is working to ramp up its capacity for public-private partnerships. For employers, CWA represents a pivotal partner for talent recruitment, retention, and advancement.

Seattle Colleges have a legacy of developing effective employer-training partnerships. For example, Vigor Industrial is the leading provider of shipbuilding, complex fabrication and ship repair and conversion in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska; they need welders. South Seattle College leases training space from Vigor, administers a welding program, and pays instructor salaries. Vigor currently hires about 50 percent of the students into welding, fitting, fabricating, and other trades positions, and has a list of other employers that other grads are often referred to. An entry-level employee can expect to make an average of $21 per hour as a pre-apprentice.

As a recent report from the Seattle Jobs Initiative details, local private-public partnerships in job training, like Vigor’s, are a win-win-win situation for all parties involved. Colleges improve the quality and relevance of their training programs, students improve their employment prospects, and employers secure a pipeline of workers who have the specific skills they need.

Employers save $8594 per worker on recruitment costs and $26928 per worker on training costs through a training partnership between Shoreline College and the Washington Auto Dealers AssociationParticipating in job training programs saves businesses money. The Seattle Jobs Initiative’s study of Shoreline College’s program, for example, found that businesses saved thousands of dollars on both training and labor costs. Partnering with community organizations is especially helpful for small businesses, which are less able to shoulder the costs of training staff on their own.

The Office of Economic Development continues to support partnerships that bridge the skills gap between workers and employers. Have questions or ideas? Reach out to us at oed@seattle.gov.

Only in Seattle Newsletter – August 2018

by

The Only in Seattle newsletter is designed to share resources and information with leaders in Seattle’s neighborhood business districts.

In this edition:

  • Invitation to summertime social – Peer Networking at Tai Tung;
  • SODO’s track mural is the longest in the world;
  • Ballard’s Sidewalk Sale is this weekend;
  • Funding opportunities for business districts;
  • Neighborhood Events;
  • and more!

View this newsletter in your browser

Seattle Youth Employment Initiative celebrates employers and youth

by

Thousands of youth were offered employment opportunities with private and public sector employers across the city through Seattle’s Youth Employment Initiative in 2018. The program has provided 9,624 paid internships for low-income and marginalized young people in the past three years.

“We are committed to ensuring youth have a window into the economy, through career-connected learning, exploration, and experiences,” Rebecca Lovell, Acting Director of the Seattle Office of Economic Development continued. “We are fortunate to partner with employers who have committed to developing their future workforce, in part through engaging youth in summer employment. Along with our partners, we are focused on ensuring young people of color have equitable access to such opportunities as early as possible.”

To support the effort, JPMorgan Chase awarded the City of Seattle $100,000 this year to fund youth internships and the City’s program that helps recruit employers. With this year’s donation, JPMorgan Chase has now donated $1 million over the last five years.

As a first-time funder this year, Bank of America joined the City’s youth employment efforts and invested $50,000 in support. Bank of America also supports the initiative through employing interns at a number of Seattle-based financial centers.

Swedish Hospital contributed $30,000 to host interns at its offices this year. Other donors include the Cruise Industry Charitable Foundation, the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, Google, and the Seattle Music Commission.

Through the Youth Employment Initiative, eligible youth and young adults are connected with paid work experience in positions at various City departments and other public and private sector placements based on their career interests. The City is also collaborating with partners to provide other creative career exploration activities for young people, where students have the opportunity to learn about potential jobs and network with employers and workers.

Youth employment provides skills necessary for young people who otherwise would be left out of the labor market and has been shown to have positive effects on lifetime employment, earnings, and net worth.  Internships also help young people build a network of caring adults, practice employment skills in a supported environment and connect their education to career goals. This is particularly critical for marginalized and low-income youth, who may lack family or community networks to help guide them towards a successful career.

“Youth employment is a platform for the future, and JPMorgan Chase is committed to helping organizations make long-term investments in increasing the number of job opportunities available to our local youth. We feel our support of the Mayor’s summer youth employment program is an important way we are helping to build the long-term success of the local economy,” said JPMorgan Chase Chairman of the Pacific Northwest, Phyllis Campbell. ”We take great pride in our history of supporting organizations and programs that strengthen access to opportunities for youth and we commend the important work of the summer youth employment program.”

“Partnering with the Seattle Youth Employment Initiative is part of Bank of America’s $40 million commitment to reach 100,000 young adults with job skills and employment experiences,” said Kerri Schroeder, Seattle Market President, Bank of America. “Youth unemployment limits income mobility well into adulthood, so we’re excited this program targets historically underserved youth and young adults in Seattle and provides a unique opportunity to build their resumes, serving as a catalyst for future economic success and mobility, as well as advancing the long-term success of our community.”

Last year, over 3,000 local youth were employed at organizations and companies across the city through Seattle’s Youth Employment Initiative. This year we expect to serve approximately 4,000 youth.

For employers who are interested in working with the City of Seattle to help young people reach their full potential, reach out to oed@seattle.gov.

Career exploration day connects youth to opportunity in the maritime industry

by

Students aboard the SS Virginia V.

This summer, the Youth Maritime Collaborative’s first-ever South Lake Union Day event provided a chance for youth who are participating in internships or training programs to learn about maritime career opportunities, get hands-on experience with real maritime skills, and explore the history behind transportation and industry in the Puget Sound region.

Sponsored by the Port of Seattle, the all-day event featured hands-on activities from SS Virginia V and partnering organizations including The Center for Wooden Boats, Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI), Northwest Seaport, and Puget Sound Maritime. Over a hundred students from six local youth-serving organizations—King County Airport interns, Goodwill Youth Maritime Program, WA-BLOC (Washington Building Leaders of Change), Seattle Skills Center Vessel Operations Program, Port of Seattle and SS Virginia V–split into groups and rotated through several stations throughout the day.

At the first station, students boarded the historic Virginia V and were taken on a voyage around Lake Union. Crewmembers provided narration of departure and docking procedures, gave tours of the engine room and wheelhouse, and performed demonstrations of knot tying and firefighting basics.

A scavenger hunt inside MOHAI was a chance for students to explore the exhibit and learn about local maritime history. The Center for Wooden Boats’ station gave students a chance to row out together on an umiaq (a type of open skin boat, similar to a canoe, historically used by Yupik and Inuit peoples), while Northwest Seaport’s station took students aboard the 1911 halibut schooner, Tordenskjold, to learn about the fishing industry.

Students on the Virginia V learn about the engine’s operations from a crewmember.

The value of this kind of career exploration was clear from speaking with one student aboard the Virginia V expedition. A high schooler enrolled in Freedom School, the student got to know a few crewmembers and had the chance to ask them questions about the ship’s operations. The student expressed a goal of majoring in mechanical engineering at Washington State University: “I don’t really know what I want to do in mechanical engineering, but it’s something I definitely have an interest in.” Crewmembers were eager to answer the student’s many questions about their work, particularly in the engine room, where the student’s interest in engineering was apparent as he asked about all of the vessel’s many moving parts.

On his way out, one of the crewmembers said goodbye to the student with a handshake and a pamphlet with information about the Virginia V’s volunteer program, saying, “Hopefully I’ll see you here in a couple weeks!” Coming into South Lake Union Day, the student didn’t know that volunteering at a place like the Virginia V was an option. Now, he has personal connections with the crew and knows that he will be welcomed back.

That student, and many others like him, left South Lake Union Day with a new understanding of the maritime industry and the careers they could pursue in the field. Over one third of students who responded to an after-event survey said that they are now more interested in pursuing a maritime career than they were before the experience.

Maritime is a huge and vital industry with an aging workforce. In response to this growing need for workers in the industry, the Youth Maritime Collaborative was founded in 2016, comprised of members from the Port of Seattle, regional maritime organizations, youth serving organizations, industry leaders, educational programs and local government agencies. As a team, YMC works to increase awareness of and guide youth toward maritime-related careers through experiential events, high school internships and thoughtful career exploration.

The Office of Economic Development’s partnership with YMC is part of a larger effort to provide opportunities that give young people a window into Seattle’s economy and how they can join the maritime workforce. Employer tours, experiential learning events, and internships expose youth to maritime education and career pathways; events like South Lake Union Day show students first-hand that there are exciting, rewarding, living-wage jobs waiting for them in maritime that they may have otherwise never known about.

Have ideas for other career exploration experiences, or interested in finding out about upcoming events? Contact us at oed@seattle.gov.