High school seniors and new graduates from across Washington state were honored today at STEM Signing Day, an event hosted by Boeing and held in partnership with the Seattle Seahawks and Partnership for Learning. Modeled after college signing days for athletes, the annual celebration recognizes students committed to pursuing postsecondary education and credentials in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM).
REPORT: Washington’s advanced computing and technology sector is growing fast—already making up 21.8% of the state’s GDP, the highest in the country. Over the next decade, demand for software developers, computer support specialists, and systems analysts will surge, with 128,000 job openings expected by 2032. Despite this demand, there’s a critical skills gap: 84% of these jobs require a bachelor’s degree or higher, and the state is on track to produce 35,000 fewer qualified workers than needed.
REPORT: Recent postsecondary enrollment trends reveal the challenge of meeting projected demand for workers with degrees, apprenticeships, and high-value industry certifications. After years of stagnation, enrollment at Washington’s colleges and universities plummeted during the pandemic. Community and technical colleges (CTCs) lost over 53,000 students—a 24% decline—from fall 2019 and fall 2022, while public baccalaureate institutions lost 10,000 resident undergraduates (an 11% drop).
REPORT: Washington Roundtable, Partnership for Learning, and Kinetic West released a new report, Skill Up for Our Future, taking a deep dive into what Washington’s economy will look like through 2032 and where the opportunities and challenges lie for our workforce.
Spotlight: Fred Hutch’s LabLaunch program is redefining career preparation in the life sciences. This partnership between Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Washington Alliance for Better Schools, and Shoreline Community College equips students with the skills needed for high-demand lab technician roles. The program combines hands-on lab experience with academic training, ensuring students are job-ready and offering them a guaranteed interview at Fred Hutch upon program completion.
High school seniors from across Washington state received honors from Boeing, Partnership for Learning, and Tallo during a Washington State STEM Signing Day event in Seattle, on June 4. The event recognized students committed to pursuing science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) after high school.
Partnership for Learning caught up with STEM Signing Day 2021 honoree Ishaan Ganguly and found out his latest updates.
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.
Learn more about what makes the district stand out in our new case study, which is part of our Credential is Essential series.
Energy Pathways is a four-week paid summer immersion opportunity developed by Spokane-area utility company Avista to introduce incoming high school juniors and seniors to the energy industry.
For Katelyn Bartel, now a student at Eastern Washington University, the internship was life changing.
“This really opened my eyes into what I could be doing with my life. It makes me more motivated when I go to school because I know that there’s something that I’m working towards. It gives me more of a goal.”
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Washington employers will create an estimated 373,000 net new jobs in our state by 2026. Seventy percent of these jobs are expected to require or be filled by workers with a postsecondary credential—such as a degree, apprenticeship, or certificate. Bur our state is facing a crisis in credential attainment. Further, the pandemic has driven alarming drops in postsecondary education enrollment.
Our new case study explores flexible learning models that are driving up postsecondary enrollment. One particularly bright success story comes from the all-virtual Western Governors University in Washington (WGU Washington). From 2011 to 2019, WGU Washington grew from less than 1,000 to 12,000 students. As of March 2021, there were 13,905 students attending WGU Washington, and enrollment had grown 15.8% in just the last two years. By comparison, nearly all of Washington’s public two- and four-year institutions experienced enrollment declines during the same time period.
Our case study explores the five reasons WGU Washington cites for enrollment growth: an all-virtual model, flat tuition rate, flexible and student-directed learning, consistent mentoring, and streamlined academic pathways.