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Aerospace Alliance

Information about the the King County Aerospace Alliance initiative.

What is the King County Aerospace Alliance?

Since 2012, the King County Aerospace Alliance (KCAA) has worked with stakeholders to cultivate opportunities to collaborate and share information that will support King County's aerospace sector.

Convened by Executive Constantine over a decade ago, the King County Aerospace Alliance unites local jurisdictions, public sector groups, business and labor toward one goal—fostering the long-term economic vitality, growth and global competitiveness of the local aerospace industry—a major and indispensable source of family-wage jobs in King County.

King County is the largest center for aerospace activity in the country with more than 45,000 industry employees and more than 400 aerospace companies. With its deep history in aerospace, King County has a strong foundation on which to build. The factories, capital investment, skilled workforce, and the ability to efficiently move people and freight are all here. Nowhere in the region our country are the assets as significant or better aligned to expand an already intense concentration of aerospace innovation and excellence.

Achievements

  • Secured the production of the Boeing 777X in King County.
  • Commissioned in-depth studies to understand the sector's competitiveness in our area and our available talent pipeline.
  • Mapped our local industry for both aerospace production and supply chain companies.
  • Funded $1.85 million in training and employment programs for veterans looking to enter aerospace careers.
  • Collaborated with the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County to invest more than $430,000 in aerospace training cohorts in 2016.
  • Sponsored the first annual events for National Apprenticeship Week in King County.
  • Aligned local workforce development efforts including job fairs, educational pathways, and work-based-learning opportunities.

Keeping our members informed

KCAA works to make sure that our members have the most up-to-date information about the aerospace sector in King County to make the best possible decisions for their companies and organizations. Check back to find news, reports, and events where you can learn about and engage with other KCAA members and King County's aerospace sector.

Connect to Aerospace Careers

Connecting youth to the great number and variety of aerospace careers is a key part of ensuring King County's aerospace legacy. There are a plethora of available careers and possible training pathways, as well as avenues to learn about careers and the training pathways needed to get there. To learn more about aerospace careers in King County, visit the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County's Map Your Career website.

Understanding the Landscape

In partnership with Locus Analytics, the KCAA was able to put together a map of different aerospace and supply chain companies. We are currently updating this map.

Establishing King County's Aerospace Baseline

In 2011, the KCAA commissioned a study via Accenture to understand the aerospace sector in King County and help us establish a baseline of needs and information.

Read the Accenture Study (2.63 MB)

Events

Below are some of the events KCAA has hosted or participated in over the last few years. Information about future events will be posted here once the pandemic subsides and in-person events are again allowed.

Mount Rainier High School Career Connected Learning Tour

King County International Airport-Boeing Field welcomed students from Mount Rainier High School in the Highline School District on a career pathway tour engaging in the careers which help the airport operate. Through a career connected learning opportunity, students were given a worksite tour to learn about aviation careers and educational pathways of employees, participated in an airport based activity, and engaged with airport employees.

DiscoverU

King County International Airport-Boeing Field welcomed students from many area high schools over the years to explore their futures and think about how education can help them reach their dreams in aviation. Through a career connected learning opportunity, students were given a worksite tour to learn about aviation careers and educational pathways of airport employees, participate in an airport-based activity, interacted with airport employees, and asked questions.

Highline STEM Fest

Highline Community College welcomed middle and high school girls at this event which empowered them by connecting them with professionals in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers. They heard from professionals in STEM careers on their unique paths, participated in speed networking activities, and did hands-on STEM activities led by Highline Schools staff, career partners from Snapchat, University of Washington Schools of Medicine and Public Health, ChickTech, and more.

"Women Fly" Days

King County International Airport-Boeing Field and the Port of Seattle sponsored "Women Fly" Days for middle and high school students at the Museum of Flight.

This event invited female-identified students to participate in a day of motivational and career-oriented activities that allow them to meet and learn from professional women working in a variety of aviation and STEM careers. Students from backgrounds that are underrepresented in aviation (women, communities of color, and those who identify as queer or non-binary) were especially encouraged to attend. Workshop leaders provided detailed advice about applying for internships and scholarships and navigating intercultural differences in the workplace. Participants also had opportunities to engage in activities that involve topics such as coding, navigation, and engineering. Participants heard an empowering lecture by a woman in the aviation industry who shared her own personal story of overcoming obstacles to achieve her dreams. The associated Women Fly Resource Fair featured colleges and universities, professional organizations, and clubs to discuss potential opportunities with participants.

Airport Career and Internship Fair

The King County International Airport Career and Internship Fair was an opportunity for high school, college and graduate students, veterans, and opportunity youth to connect with KCIA, as well as the airport's fixed based operators and tenants who are all looking to fill their internship needs and help people looking toward careers in aviation.

AMAC Conference/Project LIFT

The Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) is a national, non-profit trade association dedicated to promoting the full participation of small, minority-owned, women-owned, and disadvantaged business enterprises in airport contracting and the inclusion of minorities and women in employment. The Project LIFT (Leaders Inspiring Future Talent) event provided local students an opportunity to discover new career paths and professions in aerospace and aviation. Select Project LIFT participants also had access to several events over the course of the AMAC conference providing hands-on experiences, additional networking with AMAC members and volunteer service hour opportunities. Project LIFT is a program of the AMAC Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works alongside AMAC and is dedicated to advancing minorities and women pursuing careers in the aviation industry.

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