The state’s Employment Security Department has distributed $45 million in federal funds to 12 local workforce development councils across Washington.
The funding for fiscal-year July 2013 through June 2014 comes from the federal Department of Labor through the Workforce Investment Act.
The workforce development councils use the funds to provide counseling, skill assessments, job-search assistance and training to laid-off workers, low-income adults and disadvantaged young people in their geographic areas.
These services are delivered through local WorkSource centers and affiliate sites, along with employment services provided by Employment Security and other partnering agencies.
“WorkSource fosters a prosperous economy by helping Washington’s businesses to fill their job openings with qualified workers,” said Employment Security Commissioner Dale Peinecke. “These federal funds enable job seekers to get the help they need to enter or re-enter the workforce and to move up the career ladder throughout their working years.”
Workforce Investment Act funds are distributed to the local workforce development areas based on population, unemployment levels and the percentage of low-income people. The total appropriation is about $3.8 million less than last year.
WorkSource locations are listed on go2worksource.com. Local allocations for July 2013-June 2014 are as follows:
Olympic Workforce Development Council (Clallam, Jefferson and Kitsap counties) $2 million; about $32,000 more than last year.
Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council (Grays Harbor, Lewis Mason, Pacific and Thurston counties) – nearly $3.6 million; about $157,000 less than last year.
Northwest Workforce Council (Island, San Juan, Skagit and Whatcom counties) ~ $2.8 million; about $208,000 less than last year.
Snohomish County Workforce Development Council $4.3 million; about $550,000 less than last year.
Workforce Development Council of Seattle/King County nearly $11 million; about $1.3 million less than last year.
Tacoma-Pierce County Workforce Development Council $5.6 million; about $267,000 less than last year.
Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council (Clark, Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties) $4.1 million; about $231,000 less than last year.
North-Central Washington Workforce Development Council (Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties) $2 million; about $364,000 less than last year.
South-Central Washington Workforce Development Council (Kittitas, Klickitat, Skamania and Yakima counties) $2.8 million; about $446,000 less than last year.
Eastern Washington Partnership Workforce Development Council (offices in Clarkson, Colville, Newport, Pullman, Spokane, Republic and Walla Walla) nearly $1.5 million; about $121,000 less than last year.
Benton-Franklin Workforce Development Council (Benton and Franklin counties) $2 million; about $86,000 more than last year.
Spokane-Area Workforce Development Council $3.4 million; about $203,000 less than last year.
