VIDEO: Rewarding Careers in Health Care at The Everett Clinic

There will be 740,000 job openings in Washington state in the next five years. Job growth here will nearly triple that of the nation. Health care is a vital industry driving that growth with employers offering multiple careers pathways for Washingtonians who have the requisite skills.

“There are a lot of great job opportunities at all levels of the Everett Clinic,” said Chris Knapp, Everett Clinic CEO. Knapp said the company is heavily recruiting new entrants into the workforce, people who are changing jobs, and those who “want to pursue something that has more of a focus on helping people and improving the care and the lives of the communities that we serve.”

For most all of these positions, a successful career begins with a high school diploma followed by a postsecondary credential — a certificate program, an associate’s degree, or a bachelor’s degree. Once on the Everett Clinic Team, employees have the resources to further their education to advance their careers.

“There are a lot of opportunities for continued education and continued training,” said Kelsey McGee, a medical assistant at the clinic. “There are lots of programs out there that will help get you in the door, get you where you need to be, and help you pay for it.”

As part of our “Washington Kids for Washington Jobs” outreach effort, we want more kids and families to know about what job opportunities exist in our state, and the pathways to them. Learn more about The Everett Clinic how we can all work together to better prepare Washington kids for success in Washington jobs: waroundtable.com/wa-kids-wa-jobs

Washington Roundtable Releases 2017 Policy Agenda

Lawmakers will convene in Olympia in less than a month to kick off the long 2017 legislative session.  In advance of that, we are happy to share our 2017 Policy Agenda, which outlines our policy priorities for the coming year, focusing on two overriding issues: Education and Economic Vitality.  In more detail:

1) Education

The majority of job openings in our state in the coming years – particularly those that will support upward mobility and good quality of life – will be filled by workers who have postsecondary education or training. Recognizing the need to prepare our kids for these opportunities, the Roundtable has set an ambitious goal: By 2030, 70 percent of Washington students will earn a postsecondary credential by the age of 26. Today, only 31 percent of our students do so. Our state must take a “cradle to career” approach to raising the postsecondary attainment rate for students growing up here.

• Address the Washington Supreme Court’s McCleary decision in a manner that leads to student achievement gains, particularly in low-performing schools and among struggling students.

• Set clear goals and measure progress as part of a robust education accountability system.

• Maintain the state’s commitment to higher education and increased postsecondary capacity with a particular focus on high-demand STEM degrees.

• Support improvements in school readiness.

2) Economic Vitality

Lawmakers should continue to foster economic growth in 2017, delivering a sustainable biennial budget that invests in priority services, such as education, and paying thoughtful attention to policies that have the greatest impacts on job creation and business investment in our state.

• Support continued implementation of the Connecting Washington transportation package.

• Encourage job growth and prosperity statewide.

Read the full 2017 Policy Agenda here. You can also follow our efforts on Facebook and Twitter.