Climate and Workforce Strategy

About the Climate and Workforce Strategy 

King County’s Climate and Workforce Strategy outlines a path to connect frontline communities to living-wage opportunities, building a skilled and diverse workforce across the career spectrum. It includes an approach to:

• Leverage the transition to a clean energy economy to grow careers
• Build accessible bridges to living-wage employment in frontline communities affected by climate change
• Invest in local industry networks, and
• Equip King County employees to contribute to climate action

The Climate and Workforce strategy builds on the County’s 2023 Green Jobs Strategy. The new name, developed after thorough discussion among community partners and county staff, keeps that original mission intact while more holistically capturing King County’s intent and efforts. That includes better addressing the region’s evolving needs and emphasizing an urgency to boost workforce and economic benefits driven by climate action over the next five years, in line with the County’s SCAP.

The strategic change underscores the interconnectedness of climate initiatives and workforce development, ensuring that both objectives can progress in tandem – not opposition – for the benefit of all County residents.

Engagement was key to crafting the 2025 Climate and Workforce Strategy. King County contracted with Culture Shift Consulting to conduct an independent community engagement feedback process tailored to key implementors and partners crucial to the success of the strategy. This process consisted of listening sessions and focus groups with key stakeholder groups, including King County departments, labor and community partners, business owners, youth, and other external partners. This came in addition to ongoing collaboration and communication with local businesses, associations, and members of the workforce.

Progress

The County has made significant progress since launching its first Green Jobs Strategy in 2023. That includes building public-private partnerships, launching workforce development and business engagement programs focused on the green economy, and supporting the county workforce in upskilling to advance climate action while supporting career development. 

Click here to download the timeline below detailing some milestones.

King County will continue to cultivate a robust network of informed and engaged employers, local businesses, workers, educational institutions, labor partners, and community organizations to accelerate energy and decarbonization progress. This collaborative approach will address labor and business needs for emissions reduction. By offering climate-focused training programs and partnering with employers, the County will ensure the workforce is prepared for its clean energy goals. King County will also focus on securing sustainable public-private funding for climate workforce development. At the same time, it will create clear, measurable pathways to County employment for frontline communities, supporting departmental recruitment.