Washington Jobs Initiative
Washington Jobs Initiative: Request for Applications Open
The Employment Security Department (ESD), on behalf of Career Connect Washington (CCW) and in partnership with the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) have announced the Request for Applications (RFA) for the Washington Jobs Initiative (WJI). Through this competitive grant solicitation, ESD is seeking grant applications from industry sector partnerships who will implement programs to meet identified industry needs and achieve the goals of the Washington Jobs Initiative – Washington State’s Good Jobs Challenge federal grant.
To learn more about this opportunity, please visit Career Connect Washington and review the WJI overview, technical assistance, grant solicitation, and FAQ documents. The Grant Solicitation includes detailed descriptions of RFA proposal requirements and timelines. Technical assistance and FAQ resources will be updated regularly to provide additional information to prospective partnerships developing strategies and applications.
Washington Jobs Initiative Grant Solicitation: RFA Timeline & Activities
| Grant Solicitation Published | June 2, 2023 |
| Technical Assistance Webinar (1 of 2) Pathways to Good Jobs: Industry Sector Partnerships |
June 21, 2023, 1:00 – 2:30 Zoom Link Meeting ID: 944 9091 5324 |
| WJI Grant Solicitation Conference (1 of 2) Focus: Letters of Intent to Bid |
June 22, 2023, 1:30 – 3:00 Zoom Link Meeting ID: 856 8114 7354 |
| Due Date: Letters of Intent to Bid | June 30, 2023 – 11:59 PM (PST) |
| Technical Assistance Webinar (2 of 2) Pathways to Good Jobs: Wrap-around Support |
July 11, 2023, 1:00 – 2:30 Zoom Link Meeting ID: 939 9835 0465 |
| WJI Grant Solicitation Conference (2 of 2) Focus: Sectoral Partnership Proposals |
July 18, 2023, 3:00 – 4:30 Zoom Link Meeting ID: 832 8034 1443 |
| Estimated Award Announcements | September 1, 2023 |
Career Connect Washington partners are ready to provide support and technical assistance to interested parties statewide. After reviewing the WJI materials, you may connect with CCW’s WJI team by emailing ESDGPWashingtonJobsInitiative@esd.wa.gov.
About the Washington Jobs Initiative
The Washington Jobs Initiative (WJI) will help more Washington residents access industry-driven training to secure a good job with a family sustaining wage. More than 70 percent of jobs created in Washington State need a postsecondary credential, but only about 40 percent of young people currently have one.
WJI was created to help more students pursue good-paying jobs after high school by enrolling in registered apprenticeships and technical training programs. The initiative is supported by a $23.5 million Good Jobs Challenge grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration.
The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), in collaboration with Career Connect Washington, will draw on current partnerships and programs to meet WJI’s goals by 2025:
- 5,000 people receive education and training
- 3,150 people are employed in quality jobs
- Prioritize serving historically underserved populations, including but not limited to women; Black, Latino, Indigenous and Native American, Asian American, and Pacific Islander individuals; and anyone unduly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
These partnerships will span ten high-demand sectors:
- Advanced Manufacturing & Aerospace
- Clean Technology & Energy
- Construction
- Finance
- Health Care
- Information Technology & Cybersecurity
- Life Science
- Maritime
- Education
- Agriculture & Natural Resources
The following partners are included in the WJI award:
- Lead: Washington Student Achievement Council in partnership with Career Connect Washington
- Sub-awardees:
- Washington State Office of Equity
- Employment Security Department
- Washington State Labor Council
- Washington STEM
With a focus on equity, WJI will offer competitive awards and invest in industry-sector partnerships. These partnerships span labor, K-12, higher education, nonprofits, and tribes. Partners will provide training and paid work-based learning. Together, we will help thousands of Washington residents find a career with a family-sustaining wage.
