Ingrid Stegemoeller, Author at Partnership for Learning

Industry Associations & Early Talent Development: Resources from the Field

Washington employers need talent, and industry associations are uniquely positioned to help build it.

Partnership for Learning convened an Industry Association Action Lab in September 2025 with four statewide sector leaders in tech, clean energy, finance, and life sciences. Together, associations explored how they are translating employer workforce needs into scalable, equitable career connected learning, and what it takes to make that work sustainable and impactful for employer members.

Three resources grew directly out of that conversation. They are grounded in the real experiences of association leaders and designed to help associations, employers, and educators take action.

Owning the Talent Pipeline: How WA Banks are Building Their Workforce

Washington’s finance sector is growing, but employers face challenges finding skilled, entry-level talent and building a more diverse workforce. The Washington Bankers Association (WBA) is addressing this issue by partnering with education systems and leading a sector-wide talent pipeline strategy, bringing together high school students, adult learners, and employers through career-connected learning.

In this spotlight, you’ll learn:

The key workforce challenges facing banking employers
How industry-backed programs prepare job-ready candidates
The role of education–industry partnerships in scaling career pathways
Practical steps industry associations can take to build early talent approaches for their sectors

READ THE SPOTLIGHT

Roadmap to ROI: A Guide for Employers Exploring Early Talent

Employers play a critical role in building strong talent pipelines and expanding opportunity for young people. The Roadmap to ROI infographic—developed with insights from employers and industry leaders—outlines key planning and decision points to help companies design, pilot, and grow early talent initiatives.

This resource can help employers align early talent programs with business needs while strengthening partnerships across education and industry.

Thank you to the members of the Career Connect Washington Business and Philanthropy Leadership Group for their insights and leadership in shaping this resource.

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Webinar: The Early Talent Advantage: Turning Internships Into ROI

How Washington Employers Are Building High-Value Internship and Student Development Programs

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Washington employers are creating internship and student development programs that not only strengthen workforce pipelines but also deliver long-term returns on investment. In a recent virtual event, leaders from Boeing, Fred Hutch, and Wagstaff, Inc., shared strategies for designing high-impact internships that provide meaningful experiences for students while meeting company talent needs.

The discussion explored how intentional program design and alignment with broader workforce goals can make internships more effective and sustainable.

Watch the event recording and review the presentation slides to learn more about how Washington employers are investing in the next generation of talent, and making it pay off.

Download the Early Talent Advantage Playbook for a summary of practical models, employer case studies, and low-lift ways to get started, supporting both increased credential attainment and stronger workforce outcomes across Washington.

2025 Report: Employer Leadership in Early Talent Development

Washington’s economy has long been a national leader, driven by innovation, strong private sector growth, and a talented workforce. Last year, research projected more than 1.5 million job openings in our state through 2032, with 75% requiring postsecondary credentials. Washington students are eager to seize this opportunity: 86% aspire to complete a credential beyond high school.

However, without systemic change to scale up enrollment and credential production, Washington will experience a shortfall of nearly 600,000 credentialed workers needed by 2032.

To safeguard Washington’s economic vitality and expand opportunity for its residents, our state must build a stronger, more aligned talent pipeline that empowers and compels more students and adults to earn credentials necessary for living-wage jobs and long-term economic mobility. High-quality, career connected learning that intentionally integrates education with career and credential pathways is one critical solution for both employers and students.

Learn more about employers who are leading on this early talent development strategy in the 2025 Employer Leadership Report for Career Connect Washington.

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Jefferson Healthcare Develops High-Demand Career Pathways

Jefferson Healthcare in Port Townsend is addressing rural healthcare workforce shortages by building a local talent pipeline through career connected learning. By partnering with local schools and colleges, they’ve developed a three-phase pathway that introduces students to healthcare careers as early as 8th grade and supports them through training, post-high school credentialing, and direct employment.

In 2013, the Chehalis School District and the Chehalis Foundation partnered to launch the Chehalis Student Achievement Initiative (SAI), an effort focused on improving student achievement, modernizing instructional practices, and preparing students for college and careers. The depth of community engagement and partnership has driven impressive gains over the initiative’s 10-year history.

High school graduation: Graduation rate at W.F. West High School, the region’s one comprehensive public high school, rose from 77% in 2013 to 95% in 2023, far outdistancing the state graduation rate.
College-ready diploma: The percentage of W.F. West High School graduates completing the high school credit requirements required for admission to the state’s public four-year colleges and universities increased from 38% in 2013 to 51% in 2023.
Direct postsecondary enrollment: The percentage of W.F. West High School students enrolling in a postsecondary program the fall after high school graduation rose from 48% in 2013 to 62% in fall 2023.

Learn more about what makes the district stand out in our new case study, which is part of our Credential is Essential series.

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2024 Legislative Successes for WA Students

The 2024 legislative session wrapped up last week, and it resulted in several policy changes and investments that will support progress toward Partnership for Learning’s goal that 70% of Washington students, overall and within each racial and ethnic community, complete a credential after high school, such as a degree, apprenticeship, or industry-aligned certificate or license.

A chart showing postsecondary enrollment trends in WA state.

After three years of steep declines, postsecondary enrollment in Washington is showing signs of recovery. According to data shared with Washington Roundtable by the state’s public postsecondary institutions, 51,000+ fewer students enrolled in our public institutions in fall 2023 than in fall 2019 – representing a 17% enrollment decline since the pandemic’s onset. This comes when postsecondary education is increasingly the only pathway to middle-class jobs.

Path to 70 Update: Projected decline in credential attainment demands bold action

In 2016, the Washington Roundtable set a goal: 70% of Washington students—overall and within each racial and ethnic community—will complete a postsecondary credential by age 26. This goal reflects the workforce needs of Washington employers and national and state data projecting that at least 70% of jobs in our state will be filled by workers who complete a postsecondary credential, such as a degree, apprenticeship, or industry-aligned certificate or license.

Bar graph showing the credential attainment rate trajectory over the last 15 years for Washington students.

New data analysis indicates that nearly a third of the progress made toward the goal since the class of 2006 was wiped out during the pandemic. The estimated credential attainment rate for the high school class of 2021 is 40%—three percentage points lower than the class of 2019 and 30 points below the goal.

Author: Ingrid Stegemoeller