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News from Seattle's Office of Economic Development

Job Sector Survey – Deadline Extended to January 31

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The Job Sector Survey (JSS) was established to provide elected public officials and policymakers with an on-the-ground assessment of the challenges and aspirations of all types of local employers. JSS is in its third year and received nearly 1,700 responses from 15 industry sectors in 2012. The JSS is a cooperative project led by economic development organizations in King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, including Seattle’s Office of Economic Development and engages businesses of all sizes.

Results are shared with policymakers at the local, state and federal levels to help them understand business needs and how policy decisions impact your business. The sponsors hope to gain insights that will help create prosperity for all businesses and a job-growing economy. Data will also be compared with past survey results.

Here is a link to the third annual “Job Sector Survey.”

Employers are encouraged to take the JSS and be part of a collective voice for business. More participants make for better results.

All survey results are kept strictly confidential. Your responses will not be directly attributed to you in any public or marketing manner. The survey will remain open until January 31.

Over the past years, the Job Sector Survey has revealed:

  • Business aspirations by county, city, employment sector and size
  • Details about skills needed by specific types of employers
  • Insights into prominent trading partners and goods
  • Examples of obstacles to success by type and size of business

The Job Sector Survey is made possible with support from the Prosperity Partnership,Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County, enterpriseSeattle, King County, Economic Alliance Snohomish County, Pierce County Economic Development Department, Kitsap Economic Development Alliance, The Seattle Times, the City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development, and The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

New Seattle Jobs Initiative Survey Seeks Input On Entry-Level Jobs

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Seattle Jobs Initiative (SJI) is seeking the input of Seattle-area employers regarding entry-level jobs. This is a great opportunity for employers to provide input on the skills they need from their entry-level workforce and guide SJI in helping prepare workers for these jobs.

As a Seattle-area employer, your participation in this brief survey is invaluable in ensuring education and training programs remain linked to job opportunities while meeting the demand for skilled workers among local employers. The survey is confidential and voluntary and takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. As a thank you, twenty participants will be randomly selected to receive a $10 Starbucks gift card.

To participate in the survey, please follow the directions at the link: Seattle Jobs Initiative – Entry-Level Jobs Employer Survey 

Seattle Jobs Initiative Seeks Business Owner’s Perspectives on Critical Soft Skills For New Employees

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Seattle Jobs Initiative (SJI) creates opportunities for students, workers and businesses in Seattle/King County to succeed by helping education and job training programs meet the demands of a new economy.

To help SJI in their work to provide local businesses with the best possible job candidates, SJI would like your perspective on the critical soft skills needed for your company’s entry-level positions.

Soft skills are the non-technical skills – communication, problem-solving, a positive attitude, self-motivation, team-player, etc. – that are critical for valued employees to possess.

This data will help SJI create more effective training curricula andinform the local workforce system, so that local workforce development providers are aware of – and can work to provide – the soft skills you are looking for in your new hires.

Three things you need to know about the survey:

  • The survey is SHORT (only 10 minutes)
  • Your name, contact information, and company will be kept completely confidential
  • By completing the survey, you’ll be entered to win a $10 Starbucks gift card

The survey can be accessed here:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PXNQ7JR

SJI would like responses back by October 31.

Questions? Contact David Kaz at dkaz@seattlejobsinit.com or (206) 628-6975

 

Concerned about health care options for employees?

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The Health Care Authority (HCA) is gathering input from small business employers (5 – 50 employees) throughout Washington State to help guide the development of the new health insurance marketplace launching in 2014, currently called the Health Benefit Exchange, or the Exchange. The input will be gathered through a small employer survey that is open until November 10.  Focus groups for small business employers will also be held in Seattle on November 14.

The Exchange will provide a consumer-friendly online portal allowing people to easily compare their health insurance choices and enroll in what works best for them. Individuals will also have access to tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies to make coverage more affordable. Another part of the Exchange, the Small Business Health Options Program (or SHOP), will allow small businesses to purchase group health insurance for their employees.

Click here to take the survey.

For more information, visit the HCA website.

Got a Parking Opinion? Express Yourself!

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Whether it’s on the street or in a garage, parking is something that many people do on a regular basis. While people certainly don’t drive for the sole purpose of parking, the act of finding a spot is inevitable. SDOT wants to hear about your experiences.

SDOT manages the on-street parking network – all those pay stations, meters, and related signs. Right now, they’re working on a project that outlines different strategies to make paid parking in downtown and neighborhood business districts more available. The technical term is performance-based parking pricing. Other cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington D.C. are testing out new strategies too.

The survey results will help SDOT get a better sense of business owner needs, understand the customer parking experience and look to improve the parking experience in Seattle.

Take 10-15 minutes and respond to the survey today:

http://surveymonkey.com/s/seattleon-streetsurvey

Online survey to gather community input on public safety

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A new tool to gather input on public safety from Seattle residents is important to the neighborhood business districts in Seattle. This survey is aimed at collecting residents’ opinions of public safety conditions in Seattle’s urban villages, and if there are any urban villages where residents feel unsafe.

Public safety issues routinely surface in Seattle neighborhoods. This survey will help identify and pinpoint, in which blocks residents do not feel safe, and the data will suggest where the City can begin to implement steps to reverse this unsafe trend. Specifically, businesses in neighborhoods where residents do not feel safe to walk around will benefit from the data collection. In this case, the City will utilize this qualitative data to target problematic neighborhoods, and turn it into an environment for consumers to shop and dine comfortably.

The online survey was drafted by a team of graduate students at the Evans School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington. The survey also asks for opinions on the Seattle Police Department, focusing on community relations and behavior.

Please take the survey and provide accurate responses to support continued efforts in making Seattle a safe haven for consumers to explore the hidden gems of various unique neighborhoods.

Follow the link below to access the survey:

www.seattle.gov/publicsafetysurvey/

Business services employer survey – please respond by Friday, 3/18

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We are conducting a short (12 question) survey regarding Professional & Business Services career pathways with area employers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Professional & Business Services category consists of these three industry sectors:

a) Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (NAICS 54),
b) Management of Companies & Enterprises (NAICS 55), and
c) Administrative & Support, and Waste Management & Remediation Services (NAICS 56).

Current labor market data in the greater Seattle & King County area project that these industries — and the careers in them — will grow significantly over the next 5-10 years. Since demand for the jobs in these sectors will be high, so will the need for trained workers. The highest projected growth is in jobs that require some college, but not necessarily a 4 year degree. This, along with continued high growth in technological tools on the job, point to a demand for community college training and education programs that better meet labor market need.

This survey is part of area workforce development organizations’ objectives to learn more about current and future business competency needs so that training is relevant and streamlined.

There are several current local workforce development projects focusing on the Professional & Business Services sectors. They include programs that prepare students for administrative support roles in general office positions within insurance, finance, information technology, health care, sales and marketing, accounting, and trade & logistics. The focus is on community-college short term certificates in office technologies training (which “roll up” into the first year of a 2 yr business degree) and more advanced certificates/AAS degrees in Business and the opportunity to specialize in:

A) Global Trade & Logistics
B) Supply Chain Management
C) International Business
D) Marketing/Sales
E) Supervision & Management
F) Project Management
G) Business Technology

This survey consists of 12 questions and will take no more than fifteen minutes to complete.

OED is partnering with the Seattle Community College District to make sure that job training courses fit employers’ needs and are streamlined for employees. Please take 10 – 15 minutes to fill out this 12 question survey about the current and future employee needs of your business.

Survey Monkey survey

Survey solicits input from operators of workforce training programs, informs policy makers

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Survey solicits input from operators of workforce training programs, informs policy makers
Workforce Strategy Center
Many adults need support accessing and completing postsecondary programs that lead to credentials of value in the labor market. This survey will find out more about pioneers in the field who are designing and implementing programs that bridge adults to the credentials they need to advance. 

Microsoft’s Xbox 360 leads U.S. market for second straight month
TechFlash
Microsoft’s Xbox 360 topped both the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii in U.S. unit sales in July, riding the momentum of its revamped hardware to take the crown for the second straight month, according to data to be released today by the NPD Group market research firm.

First ever 12th Avenue fest promises cheap eats, live music and local fun – August 15th 
Capitol Hill Seattle Blog
As part of the 12th Avenue Initiative sponsored by Capitol Hill Housing, this event is meant to bolster local businesses and celebrate summer with $5 food specials and live music. Festival organizers see the event as crucial in developing 12th Avenue’s identity.

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As a service to the Seattle business community, the Office of Economic Development curates a daily business news blast, Daily Digest. As a feature on Bottom Line, we’re posting a handful of stories from the Daily Digest every day.  Find the stories informative or helpful? Keep checking Bottom Line or sign up for Daily Digest to receive the full version in your inbox every day. Subscribe to the Daily Digest here.

“Job Sector Survey” now open to collect measurable data from King County employers

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“Job Sector Survey” now open to collect measurable data from King County employers
It’s Time for Business
Take the survey! Your response will help inform business leaders, elected officials, policy makers and key community stakeholders as they make decisions that could impact businesses. Partners working on the project include local and regional business organizations, as well as the Prosperity Partnership, King County, Seattle’s Office of Economic Development, the Washington Research Council and enterpriseSeattle.

King County home-lot sales on pace to more than double
Puget Sound Business Journal
Prices are down 25 percent or more as banks liquidate foreclosed property; some sell for well below cost. Residential lots are selling briskly and at deep discounts in King County, as banks shed acres of vacant property seized in foreclosure.

A look at what’s coming up for business
Seattle Times
Along with all the quarterly earnings reports are a slew of economic reports.  For example, on Tuesday, the Commerce Department releases the May update on the trade deficit, and the Treasury releases figures on the federal budget deficit for June.

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As a service to the Seattle business community, the Office of Economic Development curates a daily business news blast, Daily Digest. As a new trial feature on Bottom Line, we’re posting a handful of stories from the Daily Digest every day.  Find the stories informative or helpful? Keep checking Bottom Line or sign up for Daily Digest to receive the full version in your inbox every day. Subscribe to the Daily Digest here.