Annual Report

Northwest Workforce Council chapter begins on page 52.

Success Stories

Electrical Apprentice Overcomes Challenges to Join Competitive Union Electrician Apprenticeship
When Minerva saw a poster at Bellingham Technical College marketing a Pre-Apprenticeship through NWC and the Apprenticeship and Non-Traditional Employment for Women (ANEW) program, she knew instantly that this was the right pathway for her to achieve her goal of becoming an Electrician.

After attending an information session, she enrolled in the WIOA Adult program and joined the ANEW Construction Boot Camp Pre-Apprenticeship at the Northwest Washington Electrical Industry JATC, located in Mount Vernon, funded through NWC.

While attending ANEW’s bootcamp, Minerva was determined, earning high accolades and a strong recommendation. She exceeded expectations in nearly every category and was a standout student among all the participants attending the program.

Her NWC Coordinator advised her to become familiar with the JATC and to pursue coaching and advice on becoming an apprentice electrician. She did.

Working with NWC during the ANEW Pre-Apprenticeship, she learned she could pursue the WIOA grant for her electrician degree program.

NWC staff coached her on preparing a scholarship proposal to fund for an individual training account (ITA), emphasizing the value of having a portfolio that she could use in future interviews for the union. Minerva was awarded a WIOA scholarship which was a huge relief to her. During this time, she had been working full time to pay for her own tuition. The scholarship allowed her to focus on her classes with significantly less stress. Her parents are farm workers with limited resources and could not afford to help her financially.

Because Minerva was commuting over 80 miles a day, five days a week for classes, NWC provided support for ongoing mileage. This was a game changer for her. She graduated from Bellingham Technical College with her Electrician associate’s degree with a 3.7 GPA, which was a springboard for her to gain a coveted slot as an Electrician Apprentice. She recently was onboarded into the Inside Wireman program with the Cascade Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors.

Minerva hopes to serve as an inspiration to women who are interested in pursuing trades as a career, for she understands this can be a key to prosperity and self-sufficiency.

And, while she is a woman of few words, she unconditionally states, “Thank you so much for helping me. It has truly made a difference in my life.”

Who You Gonna Call…Ground Busters Northwest!
Ground Busters Northwest is a small business providing home remodeling, landscaping and lawn care services in Whatcom and Skagit counties. They were looking to expand their business and learned about Northwest Workforce Council’s (NWC) business solutions programs.

NWC’s On-The-Job Training (OJT) and Work Experience/Paid Internship (WEX) opportunities were very interesting to them as a small business looking to find good employees, with the added benefit of subsidizing some costs associated with bringing onboard new staff and providing good, quality jobs.
Recognizing the value of the program, Ground Busters put a plan into action. They hired Brianna, initially through NWC’s Work Experience (WEX) program as a landscaper. Brianna is a participant in the WIOA Adult program. She had struggled to find work in the recent past and was seeking experience that would potentially lead her into a supervisory role. Upon seeing her ability to lead teams within the initial three weeks of her WEX, Ground Busters promoted her to a full-time position as a Team Lead/Supervisor, overseeing work crews. Her wages were subsidized through NWC’s On-the-Job Training (OJT) program.

Inspired by this success, Ground Busters hired two more landscapers through the WEX program. One is Adam, a WIOA Out-of-School Youth participant. Prior to Ground Busters, Adam was unemployed and did not have any formal work experience. Working as a Landscaper, Adam is gaining valuable experience and the executive functioning skills that will allow him to improve his employability and make him an asset in the workplace.

Ground Busters’ Chief Operating Officer Gabby Veliz says, “Brianna is a hidden gem I am glad we discovered. She is amazing. And Adam is learning a lot for his first job. We hope to continue to help him cultivate new skills.”

“Our partnership with NWC has been truly enjoyable. This is great for our community. Sometimes it is difficult for people to know where to find jobs. This program not only assists individual job seekers, but also small businesses and we are thankful for the help.”

NWC looks forward to assisting Ground Busters as they continue to grow their team.

New Dental Assistant Sinks Her Teeth into a Quality Job with the Help of NWC, EcSA and Community Reinvestment Funds
Santos left El Salvador for the U.S. with two young children and one on the way in 2015. Once in Bellingham, Santos, a single parent, found work in a seafood processing plant and learned to speak English. She had bigger goals; she wanted to train for a quality job that paid an good wage so she could live self-sufficiently and have a great work-life balance and care for her children.

To reach that end goal Santos began dental assisting classes at Bellingham Technical College. As Santos neared the end of her training, she struggled to make ends meet and thought she may need to drop out of her program to get a second job.

After speaking with her advisor at Bellingham Technical College, Santos reached out to NWC for guidance. Santos met with a career coach and learned that the Economic Security for All (EcSA) program could help her with tuition, provide career and supportive services, and teach her financial skills. EcSA was able to help Santos with her licensing fees, assist her with some support when money got tight and an incentive through the Community Reinvestment Funds (CRF). This helped Santos to stay in the program and finish. Once Santos had her dental assisting license, NWC helped her with her resume, interviewing skills, and job search.

Santos was happy to learn about the Financial Literacy and Renters Education (FLARE) classes taught as part of EcSA through Opportunity Council. She wanted to learn how to manage money and to help her children to learn those skills along with her.

Santos’ hard work on her job search paid off with a position at Sunrise Dental where she is now making $24 per hour and has earned $1000 in incentives for completing three months on the job.

Santos started her FLARE classes in January and has been paired with a mentor. She meets with her mentor regularly and together they have developed four financial goals for her to reach for while she is starting her career. Santos will graduate from her financial literacy program in September and is on track to earn up to $2600 for achieving her financial literacy milestones.

Community Reinvestment Funds Help a Surveyor Get the Lay of the Land
Brian was looking for full time work in San Juan County that would utilize his background in engineering and landscaping. He was seeking a full-time quality job that would enable him to put down lasting roots in his island community and pay him an excellent wage. Brian researched careers and working in land surveying caught his eye.

Brian reached out to Andy Holman, owner of Holman Surveying, in the hopes of finding a position. Andy and Brian connected with the NWC coordinator in San Juan County to discuss On-The-Job training opportunities funded through the Council.

As Brian is a member of the targeted population for the Community Reinvestment Fund, his OJT is being subsidized through this grant.

Brian’s OJT is seeing him train in a variety of skills related to a career in surveying, which serves an important role in the development of construction projects in the county.

In Brian’s own words: “the OJT has been helpful in conceptualizing a future for myself in surveying and is a good fit with my preexisting skill set… there is a lot of potential for growth in this career. I am so happy for this opportunity.”

NWC Coordinator Brings Positivity and Experience to Role Helping Latinx Community
When Vianey emigrated to the U.S. from Mexico, eight years ago, she had a goal of finishing her Master’s Degree in social work. Her work experience in Mexico was working with low income, unhoused families and she really wanted to do similar work in her new country as she has a real passion for helping others. Her first goal, however, was to continue her studies by learning English.

Vianey attended classes at the public library and through Goodwill. But even as her English language skills progressed, she still had trouble finding work that was in her heart: in social work helping others.

Learning about NWC’s programs through her husband, who was training in commercial truck driving, Vianey decided to see if NWC could help her with training for a career and reached out to learn more.

After talking with a coordinator at NWC, Vianey was encouraged to apply for a Workforce Coordinator position at the Council. Not only did she get called for an interview, but she was hired for the position!

Currently, Vianey is primarily working with NWC participants who are Spanish speaking or bilingual like her, who are in need of program services. In Skagit County she is the primary contact for participants interested in joining NWC’s entrepreneur training program for young adults interested in starting their own business. Funded through Community Reinvestment Funds (CRF), this program through the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce seeks to connect eligible Latinx youth with Latinx business owners. The young adults are matched with a business for paid internships and are given entrepreneurial training so they can learn the basics of starting their own business.

Vianey also works as a coordinator for participants in the Economic Security for All (EcSA) program. This program provides a variety of services to low-income individuals throughout the Workforce Development Area. She coordinates translation services for the agency and is fully engaged in helping high need participants, especially those who only speak Spanish.

“To be honest, I was skeptical that I would be hired for any professional jobs that were similar to what I did in Mexico,” Vianey said, “but, I got the position, and I am loving it. My background in social work has helped be a great deal in this position and I learned that being bilingual is an asset. While it is a challenge and a learning process, I am enjoying it so much and I am so happy going home at night knowing I am making a difference.”

Keep up the great work, Vianey!

On the Road to a Quality Job for Ukrainian Refugee
Volodymyr is a Ukrainian refugee who came to the United States in February 2023 with his wife and two children. While he worked in trucking in Ukraine, Volodymyr needed credentials here in the U.S. in order to help him find employment.

While he is quite familiar with a truck, his credentials in Ukraine did not translate into a job in the U.S. He was very eager to get back to work, was persistent to complete the requirements to drive big rigs and attentive to his next steps. It is foremost in his mind to be able to support his growing family.

Volodymyr heard about NWC and the Economic Security for All (EcSA) program, with the goal of getting much needed assistance to help him reach his goal of a quality job in trucking, which will lead him to self-sufficiency.

After connecting with a driving school that works primarily with Ukrainian refugees, Volodymyr is happy to report he recently obtained his CDL-A license and has had job interviews to land his first job in the United States!

Dislocated Vet Lands a New Career in Cybersecurity
William, a Navy Veteran, was surprised to be laid off from his job where he worked as a Vendor Manager in Skagit County. Over the past 30 years, William experienced various layoffs but had always been able to obtain employment quickly.

By the time he approached NWC, he had been out of work for four months and despite a robust job search he was very concerned with not finding a good quality replacement job.

Upon arriving at NWC, William was able to explain this history and really share the impact of his current unemployment status on his life. He demonstrated his eagerness to branch out, away from his previous occupation and into a degree in technology systems.

Driven by his desire to obtain a quality job that would pay a good wage and offer growth potential, William researched a program to obtain a certificate in Cybersecurity. He was able to obtain funding though the WIOA Dislocated Worker program for his 18-credit certificate course that could be accomplished in 16 weeks. During this time, he continued to receive guidance and support from NWC to ensure any difficulties that arose could be navigated with minimal effort.

William was able to complete his Cybersecurity Certificate which led to his current employment. He is currently employed full time in his new occupation, and he expressed his deep satisfaction with his current place of employment.

NWC and QUEST Helps Drive 20 Participants get their CDL-A Licenses
Commercial Truck Driving can lead to a life of steady, good paying work. A quality job in this occupation can lead to a livable wage and a great work-life balance. This credential can be a game changer for someone who has struggled to find regular work in the past or was laid off.

NWC connected with Taylor-Made Truck Driving School to host a cohort of 20 QUEST participants in June so that they could gain prosperity and a job in trucking. QUEST funds were used to provide Increased Capacity Training, as NWC determined that there is a significant need in the region for individuals with CDL-A licenses.

Many businesses in the area hire commercial truck drivers: construction firms, manufacturing plants, agricultural enterprises as well as government entities, among other sectors. Commercial truck drivers quite literally ‘drive’ the economy of Whatcom, Skagit, Island and San Juan counties.

Upon completion of their training at Taylor-Made, newly minted truck drivers were able to find jobs throughout the region. NWC coordinators worked one-on-one with these participants to create their resumes and assist them in finding jobs that would be a good fit for them.

“My message to other job seekers looking for a new career, is just to go for it and be fully committed and you will achieve your goals. One of the best parts about the program is the people you get to meet along the way trying to better their situation. It’s a common bond, so it makes it easier to get along and learn from each other.

The program helped me tremendously because I was able to achieve my short-term goal by getting my CDL and my long-term goal of gainful employment. It’s a great program that will help you and your family have a better future.”

– Teon, CDL Program