House Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee
Event Log
Mari Leavitt — Identified as having a question for the speaker.
Mari Leavitt — Asks whether apprenticeship programs need expansion and seeks clarification on the wait list.
Mari Leavitt — Rep. Leavitt is noted as having another question.
Mari Leavitt — Rep. Leavitt is asking a general question about whether the backlog reflects market saturation.
Mari Leavitt — Rep. Leavitt is recognized for the last question.
Mari Leavitt — Rep. Leavitt is called on in the discussion, and the exchange continues with a question about how a young woman in Pierce County would learn about the program, indicating a single continuous conversation about outreach and access.
Mari Leavitt — The speaker repeatedly references Representative Mari Leavitt’s work on corrections pathways and related college/post-secondary options, describing it as a model or established approach that informed the current discussion.
Aaron Frazier — Introduced himself as being with the Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council and thanked attendees for touring apprenticeship programs.
Rachel McAloon / Rachel McLean — Introduced as the first presenter from Labor and Industries; she identifies herself as the program manager of the registered apprenticeship section.
Erin — Erin briefly chimed in to respond to the question, noting that Career Bridge has been the standard and that a Washington pilot project would be discussed. She was then referenced again in connection with the feedback point she had just made, specifically counselor feedback, continuing the same discussion thread.
Nicole — Nicole is introduced as the person who will provide more detail about the Washington pilot, including the new tool and navigator system being discussed.
Nicole — Referenced as someone who will provide more information about the construction career site.
Nicole — Nicole responds to committee questions about the apprenticeship navigator/program, first providing updated participation figures (just under 1,200 CCI participants, with about 775 in apprenticeship), then explaining how the program differs for people who lack navigational support. She describes the program’s unique role in helping apprentice seekers access opportunities they might otherwise miss, including early connection to apprenticeship and assistance with entrance requirements such as math exam costs. The exchange concludes with a question about the pilot timeline and reporting period.
Rachel — Thanked for the presentation and answers.
Rachel — Referenced as having mentioned career change earlier in the hearing.
Ray Dumas — Ray Dumas introduces himself as being with Mason's and Plasterers Local 528, notes that he is filling in for Neil Hartman, and frames his remarks as a continuation of the discussion on Washington State's broader apprenticeship space. He clarifies that he is representing cement masons and plasterers.
Ray Dumas — Ray Dumas concludes his presentation and invites questions, and the discussion immediately turns to responses to his presentation.
Neil Hartman — Identified as the person Ray Dumas is substituting for.
Ray — Ray summarized participant barrier and needs data from the program, noting that among roughly 1,200 participants, about 22% receive SNAP or TANF and about 25% are economically disadvantaged. He added that significant needs also appear in unemployment and housing insecurity, with about one-third of participants unemployed, around 20% underemployed, and roughly 18% reporting they do not have reliable access to food and nutrition based on responses from about 600 to 700 participants.
Nicole Miller — Nicole Miller introduced herself as the leader of Constructed Career, a grant-funded initiative under the Washington State Building Trades Council. She explained that the program is an equitable-access, barrier-removal effort designed to help people enter building trades apprenticeships and stay in them, especially through the first year. She described the program’s pilot status, its origins in Career Connect Washington funding to build a website, and its current funding cycle supporting outreach, education, case management, navigation, and wraparound services. Miller emphasized that the pilot is also meant to gather data on apprentice and wait-list needs and on barriers such as startup and commuting costs, noting that apprentices often have dependents and other financial obligations. She then outlined the program’s targeted outreach to underserved and underrepresented groups, including communities of color, BIPOC populations, English language learners, women, and economically disadvantaged people, while working closely with 29 apprenticeship programs and about 35 local unions. She presented outreach data showing the program exceeds state averages for female and non-white participation, and shared participant barrier data such as housing insecurity, SNAP/food assistance, and justice involvement, noting coordination with reentry programs and the Department of Corrections. Finally, she introduced case management as another relatively new pillar of the program.
Megan — Identified as someone seated to Nicole's left who also works extensively in reentry-related efforts.
Megan Pearson — Introduces herself as the Executive Director for Build Up and describes the organization’s mission.
HB2084 — House Bill 2084 is discussed as part of Washington State policy efforts to improve recruitment, retention, and access for incarcerated individuals, with the bill described as providing structure for stakeholders working on construction training and apprenticeship pathways.
Nick Brock — Nick Brock was identified as the person hired at the Office of Correction Ombuds to manage the oversight committee.
Dr. Hardin — Welcomed the committee, thanked staff, and introduced discussion of select programs focused on non-traditional students.
Dr. Hardin — Nate Humphrey referenced Dr. Hardin's remarks about enrollment growth.
Dr. Hardin — Referenced as having introduced the presentation topic.
Dr. Delaney — Identified as the vice president of instruction and part of the discussion about serving non-traditional students.
Dave Paul — Dave Paul is referenced in a continuous discussion where speakers repeatedly cite Dr. Hardin’s remarks and prior comments, including his points about non-traditional students. The mentions are part of the same ongoing explanation and do not represent separate topics.
Dave Paul — Addressed as Chair Paul.
Dave Paul — Implicitly referenced as the chair in the closing thanks to members attending.
Nate Humphrey — Introduced himself as the new executive director for the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and noted prior service as workforce director from 2017 to 2020.
Zephyr-Skogen — Zephyr-Skogen, RTC’s interim dean of health care programs, introduced the college’s allied health offerings and described RTC’s role serving non-traditional students, including Renton Promise and Running Start participants. They outlined the program ladder from short-term entry-level options like central service technician and phlebotomy technician through registered nursing, highlighted strong and growing enrollment, persistence, and completion rates, and noted increased diversity in nursing, including Black and African American students. The presentation then shifted to early childhood education, where they reported substantial enrollment growth since 2020 and explained that program expansion is supported by multiple funding sources such as HEAT grants, Perkins funding, Early Achievers, Guided Pathways, and other state and federal funds, before turning the presentation over to the Early Childhood Education program director.
Beatrice Fav — Beatrice Fav described how the early childhood and related Spanish-language programs were developed in response to low enrollment and the needs of working students. She explained that the college shifted from in-person classes to hybrid evening and Saturday sessions, added Spanish-language offerings and stackable certificates, and worked closely with advisors, navigators, faculty, and other support staff to create a three-step onboarding process that helped students learn about the program, apply, secure financial aid, and register. She noted that the program required adapted wraparound support and that the sessions were successful, often bringing in family members and friends. Fav also emphasized that students gained confidence, continued into English learning, and entered the workforce with multilingual skills. Later, she clarified that ECE classes do not directly teach English reading or writing, but many students take English classes alongside them, and she concluded by noting that the Spanish-language effort is still a pilot that depends on ongoing college-wide support and personalized outreach sessions.
Alex Ybarra — Identified as the Ranking Member who has a question.
Alex Ybarra — Described similar language-access challenges in central Washington and raised the issue of teaching reading and writing in English, not just speaking.
Alex Ybarra — Asked whether the program helps new English speakers learn to read and write in English as well as speak it.
Alex Ybarra — Asked how the college is getting the word out about the programs and supports for non-traditional students.
Charmin Barreira — Charmin Barreira, introduced as the new full-time faculty member for the Spanish cohort, described how she had previously served as adjunct faculty and helped launch the program. She explained that the Spanish program was built to be accessible by translating courses and financial aid information into Spanish, then shared student success stories showing the program’s impact: Eric moved from being an ECE assistant to working in Bellevue School District’s dual-language program, Maria started the program later in life and now runs her own daycare, and Ernestina advanced from being a housewife to becoming a principal in a nonprofit ECE organization. She concluded that accessible, culturally inclusive education is a powerful tool for community impact and noted outreach efforts through Hispanic local radio and a nonprofit organization to share information with the community.
Gerry Pollet — Rep. Gerry Pollet expresses surprise at how quickly the nonprofit has grown and asks when it was founded, then follows up by asking for background on how the organization started and how its current funding is sustainable, including references to Sound Transit, DOT, and other funding sources.
Gerry Pollet — Rep. Pollet is addressed by another speaker and then asks what the state community and technical college system, along with legislators, can do to better support RSI opportunities and related supports.
Gerry Pollet — Referred to as having a question; the speaker says 'Rep. Pollet has a question.'
Mari Leavitt — Introduced as representing the 28th Legislative District.
Mari Leavitt — Asked whether the current number of apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs is sufficient and whether there is room to expand further.
Joel McEntire — Introduced as Assistant Ranking Member.
Joel McEntire — The speaker appears to refer to Rep. McEntire as having a question; transcript says 'McIntyre,' likely a transcription error.
Joel McEntire — The chair calls on Rep. McEntire next for questions.
Joel McEntire — Rep. Joel McEntire makes a brief clarification question, likely after a transcription error in the first mention, asking about the terminology used on the first slide and seeking clarification on the term 'returning citizen.'
Gerry Pollet — Representative Gerry Pollet is introduced as representing the 46th District.
Gerry Pollet — Asked to ask two questions and said he was intrigued by the finding-the-opportunities piece.