This was a great year for Career Connect NW (CCNW).

With new and expanded services, additional students, educators, and partners across our five-county region were able to gain valuable insight and connection to family wage/high demand career opportunities. Work ranged from systems-change efforts around CTE Dual Credit to educator professional development opportunities to student career programming – both large and small!

A few highlights include:

  • Communities of Practice:
    • The High School & Beyond Plan Community of Practice offered a valuable opportunity for educators to delve deeper into specific subjects relating to college and career readiness as well as the High School and Beyond Plan. Each quarter CCNW concentrated on a particular topic pertaining to the High School and Beyond Plan including financial aid, career pathways, and connecting students to pathways (aligned with Washington STEM’s Career Pathways Readiness System framework). The series culminated in May with an in-person event including speakers from OSPI, SBCTC, Stand for Children, and regional community colleges, not to mention the inaugural Education Legislator Roundtable with regional representatives from the Washington State Legislature. 
    • The Computer Science Community of Practice provided a series of workshops aimed at building a strong learning community to share resources, experiences, and strategies that align high school computer science courses with college-level standards. This effort was supported by the Boeing Foundation as well as the CTE Dual Credit proviso that CCNW is project managing in partnership with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) to expand dual credit opportunities in career pathways that lead to family wage, high demand opportunities in the Northwest region. Partners included lead faculty from Everett Community College and Skagit Valley College.
  • Career Exploration Tours and Events: 
    • The WAVE Tour (Washington Apprenticeship Vocational Education) was hosted by CCNW in October 2023 at the Northwest Carpenters Institute (NWCI) in Burlington, thanks to funding from HF Sinclair. Historically run in the spring, the event was moved to October to reinforce for students that considering an apprenticeship and considering college/university options should be given equal consideration. There were 384 students who participated from 23 high schools and programs; 85% of students surveyed indicated that their knowledge of careers in the construction trades increased, with 87% indicating a notable likeliness to apply for an apprenticeship in the construction trades.
    • The ECHO Tour (Exploring Careers & Healthcare Opportunities) was piloted by CCNW for Snohomish County at Everett Community College in Everett in March 2024. Seeing a need for programs to promote careers in the  healthcare sector and supported in part by federal award number SLFRP0194 awarded to Snohomish County by the U.S. Department of Treasury, CCNW developed the ECHO Tour by adapting the model from its successful WAVE Tour. Of 422 students from 23 high schools and programs, 92% of students surveyed indicated that their knowledge of careers in the healthcare sector increased, with 84% of respondents indicating a notable likeliness towards pursuing a career in the healthcare sector. 
    • Eight STEM Like ME! Events were facilitated in middle and high schools across the region, with one of them specifically designed for teacher professional development. In each session, participants rotated through at least 4 employer presenters about their field in a hands-on way – raising awareness regarding family wage/high demand career opportunities in the area. 
    • 34 Career Connected Learning Events were supported with the assistance of CCNW Career Connected Learning Specialists. Connecting schools and organizations to onboarded employer presenters made these events successful.
  • CTE Dual Credit Proviso Leadership was provided through CCNW to kick off a pilot program in partnership with the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges to increase career and technical education dual credit participation and credential attainment in professional technical programs. This regional focused initiative is working with participating regional colleges to create shared practices, policies, and systems to streamline CTE Dual Credit articulations, registration, reporting, transcription, and credit portability. In addition, this initiative focuses on practices to align pathways between K-12 and community colleges and address equity in access and participation.

With big plans already underway for 2024-25, CCNW looks forward to another successful year of connecting students to family wage, high demand career opportunities in the NW region.