Financial Aid. Internships. Resources. Oh My!

Innovate. Educate. Achieve.

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT:

Career Connected Learning

Watch their videos and checkout their apprenticeships

Teacher and Family Resources

Check out these great career

connected learning resources for teachers and families!

They also have classroom presentations on a variety of topics.

Governor Inslee Tours Arlington Microgrid

From The Wire

Gov. Inslee stopped by the Arlington Microgrid in April, where he learned about this innovative energy storage system and received a demonstration on “a variety of new utility technologies, including battery storage, community solar and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging systems.”

The tour also included a visit to “PUD’s Community Solar array, the largest in the state.” This solar array “granted 10% of its solar units to helping low-income customers through partnerships with HopeWorks and the Stanwood/Camano Community Resource Center.”

This project demonstrates how renewable energy resources, energy storage, and a microgrid control system can be utilized for disaster recovery and grid resiliency, as well as renewable energy integration and grid support.

Pollinator Kits

Snohomish PUD celebrated Earth Month in April by providing 130 free pollinator kits to local students in partnership with the Everett Public Library System, Sno-Isle Libraries, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County. Some kits were also left at the little free libraries at the Monroe and Lynwood PUD offices.

STEM Updates

Career Connect Wa (CCW) awarded NW Educational Service District as the Regional Coordinating Network (RCN) for our Region. This strengthens ability to leverage expertise, resources and understand region implementation and impact creating a more equitable and cohesive career connected learning environment for K-12 and high education. Snohomish STEM Network and NW STEM Network will serve as Co-Chairs for our 5 county region.

We are currently seeking talent for the RCN leadership role, join the team: STEM Administrator.

WA STEM Signing Day

Congratulations to the 46 Washington State and Snohomish County students who participated at this year’s STEM Signing Day! A special thanks to Boeing for sponsoring this event.

Snohomish County Students:

Hillary Berkoh, Mariner HS
Francesca Keel, Meadowdale HS
Connie Chen, Kamiak HS
Samantha Brown, Granite Falls HS
Samira Shirazy, Henry M. Jackson HS
Kelsey Borland, Monroe HS

Join us for Coffee Chats focused on Child Care and Early Learning

Tuesday, June 8 | 8:30 - 9:30 am

This past year has come with many changes in business, including large portions of the labor force shifting their workplace to the home, and employers investing in new COVID safety protocols. This has created an opportunity for Snohomish County employers to evaluate their current and future employee needs and reinvest in their workforce to support strong economic growth and ability to attract talent. These evaluations include looking at the high cost and low capacity of childcare and early learning education in the region – providing for the children who become our future workforce. By reinvesting, employers signal they are an attractive place to work when offering whole-employee benefits to help secure current and future employees.

Guest Speakers:

Representative Lillian Ortiz-Self, 21st Legislative District
Deirdre Whitaker, Wee Care Academy
Guy Occhiogrosso, Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce
Karen Matson, Snohomish County Early Learning
Elaine Larson, ChildCareAware program

Our experts will provide insight into the State of the Children Report.

TechConnect Washington Community Help Desk

is a new, multilingual and multicultural helpdesk that provides FREE technical support in multiple languages to Washington residents so they can engage in a virtual environment.

Launched in February 2021, TechConnect Washington Community Helpdesk Technicians are standing by to provide technical guidance, digital navigation support, and connections to other community resources to support parents, students, elders, and all community members during this time. The team is available to provide guidance via chat, email, or phone in the languages listed below:

Spanish
Tigrinya
Afaan Oromoo
Amharic
Sidamo
Wolaytta
English

Explore STEM Careers

Want to learn more about STEM careers and the credentials needed for these jobs? Check out CareerOneStop’s video series on STEM Careers and explore the possibilities!

Darrington Summer Internships

In partnership with Darrington School District, Town of Darrington, and Glacier Peak Institute, the Snohomish STEM Network has developed four

40-hour summer internships for local juniors and seniors.

Students will get hands-on experience with multiple projects including digitizing township maps alongside a local civil engineering firm, learning about food prep and knife skills from a professional chef, and practicing program development with Americorps mentors, just to name a few. These internships will encourage and grow valuable technical and soft skills that students can apply on their education and career journeys.

BIG thank you to Mayor Dan Rankin, Town of Darrington; Oak Rankin, Executive Director of Glacier Peak Institute; and Cindy Christoferson, Darrington High School Principal, Special Education and CTE Director.

The new Washington College Grants gives more money to more students

The new, nationally recognized Washington College Grant (formerly the State Need Grant) makes education and training beyond high school affordable. As of 2020-21, More families are eligible, and more programs and types of credentials are included.

More low- and middle-income families now qualify. An eligible student from a family of four making around $56,000 or less per year would receive a full award. Partial grants are available for families making up to the state’s median family income, around $102,000 per year.

The program is also expanding to provide support for approved apprenticeships.

There is no separate application for the Washington College Grant. Students should complete a state or federal financial aid application, which colleges will use to determine eligibility and make awards. Financial aid applications for the 2021-22 academic year are now open.

Students should apply for financial aid as soon as possible. Do not wait until admitted to apply.

Learn more about the Washington College Grant

2.1 Million Manufacturing Jobs Could Go Unfilled by 2030

From National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Institute

The manufacturing skills gap in the U.S. could result in 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030, according to a new study by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education partner of the NAM. The cost of those missing jobs could potentially total $1 trillion in 2030 alone. About 1.4 million U.S. manufacturing jobs were lost during the early days of the pandemic, according to the study, setting back the manufacturing labor force by more than a decade. However, the industry has largely recovered those lost jobs and is now urgently seeking more workers.

This year’s study also takes a deeper dive on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion, demonstrating that workforce diversity is imperative to closing the gap.

Read the study and a CNN story on the research.

Off Planet Research opens at the Port of Everett

Snohomish County’s presence in inner/outer space has increased with the location of Economic Alliance Snohomish County client Off Planet Research (OPR) at the Port of Everett starting in May. OPR creates manufactured soils and ice to emulate extra-terrestrial planets. These materials and the OPR laboratory testing facility support companies that operate in the abrasive environment of lunar dust. The company was started by partners Melissa Roth and Vince Roux while students at St. Martins’ University in Lacey. OPR will be the anchor tenant in the Ports’ new Maritime, Exploration and Innovation Complex.

WA Dept of Commerce Energy-Efficiency Grants Received

Congratulations to the Mukilteo School District and Snohomish School District for receiving energy-efficiency grants from the Washington State Department of Commerce.

Mukilteo School District – received $39,300 to add advanced ventilation controls for two gymnasiums, install energy-saving heating and cooling water pumps at two schools, improve efficiency of the boiler at one school, upgrade control systems at three schools and provide an evaluation to identify and implement low-cost fixes at three schools.
Snohomish School District – three grants totaling $75,800 to install upgraded control systems At Cathcart Elementary, Totem Falls Elementary and Central Primary Schools that will reduce energy use when the building is not in use and increase heating and electrical efficiency.

Outdoor STEM Activities

Wanna get outside? Try these 77 Simple STEM Activities for Families (in English, Spanish, and Arabic) by Daily STEM and explore the world around you! First on the list, “Take a walk in the backyard.”

Tag us in photos as you have fun exploring!

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