Washington Tech Workforce Coalition Forms to Meet the Need for Diverse, Highly Skilled Candidates for In-Demand Tech Jobs

Industry leaders, educators and community organizations invited to join this important initiative 

SEATTLE, Sept. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Washington Tech Workforce Coalition (WTWC) proudly announces its launch, marking a significant step toward addressing the growing demand for technology roles across multiple industries. The Coalition will hold its first convening on Oct. 29, 2024 from 2-7pm at the AWS Skills Center in Seattle.  

The Coalition focuses on creating opportunities for underserved and underrepresented populations while fostering a collaborative space where industry leaders, educators, training partners, community partners, and government agencies work together to meet workforce demands and facilitate job placements. The Coalition's new website, watechcoalition.org, is the hub of this network where partners can join the Coalition, sign up for committees, read updates, find best practices and track outcomes.  

Vision
The Washington Tech Workforce Coalition envisions an enduring ecosystem designed to bridge workforce gaps and advance workers' skills in Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, IT & Cloud Computing, and Software Development. 

Key responsibilities include: 

• Developing a talent pipeline responsive to industry needs.
• Closing the skills gap by creating technical and professional skills development programs.
• Connecting high-quality candidates with internships and full-time jobs to meet employer needs.
• Building relationships and credibility with workforce system stakeholders.

The Coalition is supported by industry experts AWS and Accenture, led by Computing for All, in collaboration with the Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA), and committed employers throughout Washington State. These members form the core of the Industry Advisory Committee. 

Coalition Partners
The Washington Tech Workforce Coalition includes a network of fourteen placement providers and subrecipients that will help launch 1,000 careers in technology roles by October 2025.  

Placement Providers will offer various services, including community and employer engagement, candidate training, support, and job placement. Placement Providers include Ada Developers Academy, CodeDay, Per Scholas, PNW Cyber Challenge Games, Riipen and North Seattle College, Saint Martin's University (Washington Vets2Tech), and Year Up. 

These placement providers join the Coalition's subrecipients (below) involved in strategic efforts to develop outreach and alignment with underserved communities, education, and employers.  Subrecipients include Career Connect Southwest STEM Regional Network, Center of Excellence for Information & Computing Technology (COEICT), Evergreen Goodwill, King Pierce Regional Network / Washington Alliance for Better Schools (WABS), North Central Regional Network, Seattle Jobs Initiative (SJI), and Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA).  

Collectively, these grant partners build and expand training programs and job placement pipelines across the state. 

Structure
Initial funding for the Coalition is from the US Department of Commerce Good Jobs Challenge grant.  Implementation is through the Washington Jobs Initiative managed by Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC). Computing for All, a 501(c)(3) technology education nonprofit organization manages the Coalition, building alignment among community, education, and industry partners to align training and job opportunities while uniting and lifting our local economies.   
The launch of the Coalition underscores all the members' dedication to leveraging resources, applying best practices, and fostering a shared vision for talent development in technology.  

For more information on the Coalition and to learn how to get involved, visit watechcoalition.org. 

CONTACT: [email protected]

SOURCE Computing for All