Skill Up For Our Future
A credential opens the door. A career builds a life.
In Washington state, high-demand jobs increasingly require a credential beyond high school. Whether it’s a degree, apprenticeship, or high-value industry certificate or license, postsecondary credentials are essential for economic mobility, self-sufficiency, and long-term security.
This report outlines Washington’s projected workforce demand over the next decade, highlights six occupation clusters where job growth will be concentrated, and identifies the credentials needed to access those opportunities. It also offers recommendations to help Washington’s education and training systems better support credential completion and connections to jobs that power Washington’s future.
The Opportunity
While economic conditions and policy environments will fluctuate over time, the long-term outlook is clear for Washington state: jobs here will increasingly demand postsecondary credentials.
From 2023 to 2032, Washington is projected to generate 1.5 million job openings, driven by new job creation and retirements across key sectors. Approximately 75% of those job openings will require education and credentials beyond high school; 45% will require a bachelor’s or advanced degree.
Projected job openings will span industries and regions. To understand the scale of opportunity, we looked across job projections to identify occupations that are good for:
Jobs that offer living wages, economic mobility, and career growth
Jobs that fill critical workforce needs and support growth
Jobs that strengthen communities and support long-term competitiveness
Where the Jobs Are
Six occupation clusters stand out because of their opportunity, demand and impact. Explore the clusters to see where job openings are expected and what it takes to get there.
Opening Doors with Credentials
Washington students understand what’s at stake—86% say they aspire to earn a credential beyond high school. But the state’s education and training systems, even when combined with historic in-migration trends, aren’t poised to produce the talent our state will need. Washington faces a shortfall of nearly 600,000 skilled, credentialed workers over the next decade.
Helping more Washingtonians pursue and complete the credentials needed to support their own economic mobility and the state’s economic growth isn’t just a workforce issue—it’s a strategic imperative.