Workforce Development Opportunities

A list of ongoing no-cost job training programs and other workforce development opportunities in King County.

We also send a newsletter every 4 weeks with timely opportunities. Subscribe to our Workforce Development Newsletter here.


Jump to Section: Banking/Financial Careers | Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Careers | Construction Trades and Pre-Apprenticeships | Health Care Careers | IT/Tech Careers | Other Careers | Youth/Young Adult Opportunities | Ongoing Internships

Banking/Financial Careers

BANKWORK$

BankWork$ is a free banking/financial industry-specific job training for job seekers of all genders who are low income. Strong customer service and sales focus, followed by direct job placement into positions at partner banks and credit unions.

  •  When: 8-week course offered multiple times per year; Mon/Wed/Fri

  • Where: Mostly online classes

  • Requirements: include 18+ years old; High school diploma/GED; Able to pass background check; English proficient bilingual encouraged; 6 months customer service experience

More Information: Banking/Financial Industry Job Training Page; contact bankworks@ywcaworks.org

YEAR UP UNITED

Year Up United’s Banking Job Training is a tuition-free program of a national non-profit with a Seattle campus that trains low-income, young adults ages 18-29 for careers in the banking industry. Job search and placement support for local banking jobs is also provided.

More information: Year Up’s Banking Training page; contact admissions@yearupunited.org

Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Careers

ANEW

ANEW offers students the opportunity to earn a Class A and B Commercial Driver’s License at no cost. Participants receive classroom and actual seat time instruction coupled with ANEW’s unrivaled supportive services that helps students overcome obstacles to landing and keeping high wage employment.

  • When: 3 cohorts per year

  • Where: ANEW’s Tukwila training facility

  • Requirements: 21+ years old; Valid WA Driver’s License; Able to pass drug screen; Social Security card; 5 years of driving record from Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL); Able to attain U.S. Department of Transportation medical card

 More Information: Commercial Driver’s License page; Contact cdl@anewcareer.org

Construction Trades and Pre-Apprenticeship

ANEW

ANEW offers pre-apprenticeship training programs and support services that help individuals obtain careers in construction trades. They partner with many registered apprenticeship programs in the Seattle area and expose students directly to their training facilities. ANEW graduates receive direct or preferred entry into a construction apprenticeship program and placement assistance and retention services for 2 years.

  • Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Education (PACE): co-ed program for all genders (gender non-conforming encouraged to apply) which is 3 days per week for 12 weeks.

  • Trades Rotation Program (TRP): program for women and those who identify as. This program is held for 3 days per week for 12 weeks.

More information: ANEW’s training programs page; contact info@anewcareer.org

SEATTLE CENTRAL COLLEGE

Seattle Central College’s Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Training (PACT) is a no-cost 12-week program designed to assist adults, to gain the skills needed to make them successful competitors for entry-level jobs in construction trade apprenticeship programs. 

  • When: 12-week course Monday-Friday. Daytime and nighttime cohorts available in Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer quarters

  • Where: in-person classes at Seattle Central College Wood Technology Center

  • Requirements: 18+ years old; GED/high school diploma; WA State driver’s license; able to pass drug test; apply for income-eligible workforce education grants. No construction experience required.

More Information: PACT Website; Contact Jerry Jordan 206-934-5460

Health Care Careers

CAREERWORK$

CareerWork$ Medical Training is a job-training course offered by Career Path Services for adults of all ages to begin a career in entry-level, non-clinical healthcare positions, such as patient services specialist, healthcare call center rep, and healthcare billing specialist. It includes wraparound services, job search support, guaranteed interviews with partner employers, and networking connections to support participants making a career change.

  • When: 8-week full-time course offered multiple times per year

  • Where: In-person classes in North Seattle

  • Requirements: include 18+ years old; High school diploma/GED; Able to pass background check; English proficient bilingual encouraged; 6 months customer service experience

More information: CareerWork$ Medical page; contact Susan Goodwin

HEALTH CARE APPRENTICESHIP CONSORTIUM

Health Care Apprenticeship Consortium is a multi-union and multi-employer Washington State-registered Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee offering year-round apprenticeships and training programs for the following health care career paths:

  • IHAP/Certified Nursing Assistant (NA-C)

  • Medical Assistant

  • Pharmacy Technician

  • Behavioral Health Technician

  • Behavioral Health Peer Counselor

  • Substance Use Disorder Professional

More information: Health Care Training Programs page; contact apprenticeship@healthcareerfund.org

PHARMACYWORK$

PharmacyWork$ is a free online training program for pharmacy technician careers offered through YWCA. Comprehensive training covers pharmacy calculations, medical terminology, prescription handling, and more. Focused on preparing students to enter the pharmacy field and pursue certification including the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s (PTCB) exam.

  • When: 5-week course offered multiple times per year; classes Tuesday/Thursday/Friday

  • Where: Online Classes

  • Requirements: 18+ years, high school diploma/GED, English fluency, basic computer skills, and must meet low-income requirements.

More Information: PharmacyWork$ page; Contact pharmacyworks@ywcaworks.org  

IT/Tech Careers

ADA DEVELOPERS ACADEMY

Ada Developers Academy’s mission is to prepare women and gender expansive adults to be software developers while advocating for inclusive and equitable work environments. They primarily serve and address the needs of Black, Latine, Indigenous Americans, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander, LGBTQIA+, and low-income people. Ada offers 3 different programs:

  • Ada Build is a self-guided curriculum that introduces beginners to Python and coding fundamentals through tutorials and video lessons. This curriculum is free for women and gender-expansive adults who are generally interested in learning to code, or more specifically want to strengthen their skills for the Ada application process.

  • Ada Build Live is a 6-week virtual series led by staff who review the Ada Build curriculum with students to build comfort with Python and coding fundamentals. This series takes place in the winter, spring, and summer.

  • Ada Core is an 11-month program teaching full-stack web development. This program is not for beginners; students should understand foundational concepts such as using loops, lists, and dictionaries. Students are in the Ada classroom for six core hours a day, five days a week for six months, followed by a five-month paid internship.

APPRENTI

Apprenti offers a dozen different career tracks for tuition-free training and apprenticeships for those looking for a path to a career in tech. They focus primarily on recruiting women, Veterans, people of color, and people with disabilities, though all are welcome to apply.

  • When: Start dates and availability vary depending on employer demand; tracks vary from 6-15 weeks

  • Where: Locations vary depending on tracks and employer host sites

  • Requirements: 18+ years old; must pass Apprenti competency assessment; each training track requires varying degrees of tech skills/experience 

PER SCHOLAS SEATTLE

Per Scholas Seattle is the Seattle campus of a national non-profit organization offering no-cost remote and in-person tech skills training programs in Cybersecurity, IT Support, Software Engineering, and more. Per Scholas is building a more diverse technical workforce by creating on-ramps for women and people of color, groups that are underrepresented in IT employment. 85% of their learners nationally are people of color, a third women, and a third young adults.

  • When: Start dates vary depending on training track; 13-15 week classes are full-time Monday-Friday

  • Where: Classes are either remote online or in-person in Downtown Seattle

  • Requirements: 18+ years old; low income; each training track requires varying degrees of tech skills/experience 

YEAR UP UNITED

Year Up United is a national non-profit organization with Seattle campuses offering low-income, young adults ages 18-29 tuition-free tech career training & internships through the following Career Pathways:

Other Careers

SEATTLE DIRT CORPS

Dirt Corps focuses on creating green career pathways for people facing barriers within the existing routes to environmental work. Our organization promotes a safe and supportive culture of learning, rooted in equity and led by staff committed to being anti-racist. We compensate our participants for their time spent in the adult training program by offering stipends that exceed Seattle’s minimum wage.

The program combines classroom instruction and hands-on, site-based training. Subjects include Green Infrastructure, Ecological Restoration and Urban Forestry. Dirt Corps implements a training model where people with all types and levels of expertise work alongside each other to complete various environmental projects. 

More Information: https://www.thedirtcorps.com/training-program/ or contact community@thedirtcorps.com

URBAN LEAGUE OF METROPOLITAN SEATTLE (ULMS) - CAREER BRIDGE

Sign up for the Career Bridge 5-week job readiness program and let experts guide you through the training and certification you need to start a stable well-paying career! Students will be provided with job portfolio assistance, covering everything from writing resumes & cover letters, to preparing for interviews. At the completion of the program, students will receive job placement assistance and a stipend of up to $1,000! Students will also earn the following professional certifications: Industrial First Aid/CPR; Flaggers; and Food Handler Permit. Transportation assistance will be provided. Requirements: 18-30 years old.

More Information: https://urbanleague.org/careerbridge/

For additional info contact:

Youth/Young Adult Opportunities

Also see youth opportunities in the Ongoing Internships section.

 

KING COUNTY YOUTH EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS

King County Youth Education & Employment Programs help young people ages 16-24 in King County get beyond barriers and achieve their education and employment goals. Teams and providers across multiple programs and locations offer GED/High School and College prep, Career Exploration, Internships, and Job Training. Programs include:

  • Reconnect to Opportunity: Team of outreach specialists who provide young people customized referrals and connections, based on their needs and goals, to education, employment, and/or post-secondary training opportunities throughout King County.

  • Learning Centers: 2 centers operated in partnership with Shoreline Community College and Seattle Central Community College, serve young people who have not completed high school but who want to attain their GED and go on to college, technical training, or employment.

  • YouthSource Tukwila: Provides many employment and education services in one location for 16-24 year olds who’ve dropped out or left high school to complete their secondary credential (GED or high school diploma) and move on to college or employment.

  • Career LaunchPad: Empowers young adults in not only in obtaining jobs, but also building skills that will help them keep employment, gain advancement, and explore long term career goals. Career Navigators create individualized employment plans that cater to participants’ specific interests and strengths.

More Information: King County Youth Education & Employment Programs page

SEATTLE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM 

Seattle Youth Employment Program (SYEP) supports young people ages 16-24 from qualifying-income households and communities in City of Seattle that experience racial, social, and economic disparities. The goal is to increase youth and young adults' ability to pursue careers that pay well and are meaningful to them. SYEP programs include:

  • Learn & Earn Program (Foundations/Pathways): Participants identify professional interests, gain marketable skills, are exposed to various career fields, and build their social network. Students receive stipends based on their quarterly participation during the school year.

  • Paid Summer Internship Program: Participants are placed in professional and/or structured paid work settings within City departments, local businesses and non-profit agencies to apply their knowledge, gain hands-on experience, develop professional connections, and build their resume.

 More Information: Seattle Youth Employment Program page; contact syep@seattle.gov or 206-386-1375

YOUTH MARITIME CAREER LAUNCH

Youth Maritime Career Launch is a Port of Seattle program with non-profit partners offering a paid ($21+/hr) internship and training program that connects young adults ages 18-24 to permanent employment opportunities with employers in the Maritime Industry. Goal is to establish an employment pipeline to diversify the maritime workforce and get young adults into entry level jobs in the industry.

  • When: 3-month internship working up to 35 hours/week. Summer and Fall cohorts

  • Where: Port of Seattle locations

  • Requirements: 18-24 year old; able to pass drug testing; Maritime experience not required

More Information: Contact either of the non-profit partners:

YWCA GREENBRIDGE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SERVICES PROGRAMS

YWCA Greenbridge Youth Employment Services Programs help teens and young adults in White Center and South King County pave a path towards college and career success. Programs include:

  • Youth Employment Program Customer Service Training: In partnership with Starbucks, this program prepares young people ages 15-24 to enter the workforce through a 4-day customer service excellence training with a focus on hospitality, retail, and café operations. Includes job readiness preparation and job placement support services.

  • Youth Opportunity Navigation Program: Provides young people 15-28 years old career and education navigation services, including: full-time/part-time employment coaching; preparing resumes and cover letters; job interview prep, access to short-term training programs; college/university scholarship referrals and navigation; and internship & apprenticeship referrals.

More Information: YWCA Youth Employment page; contact Alex Khem 206-670-6775

Ongoing Internships

Seward Park Audubon Center: Elevation Program

Sea Potential LLC: Youth Programs

Mountains to Sound Greenway internships and partner opportunities

Young Women Empowered internships and other opportunities

Tilth Alliance internships

Partner In Employment internships

Student Conservation Association internships

King County seasonal internships