SkillUp Washington
SkillUp Washington is a funding collaborative dedicated to helping low-income adults in Seattle-King County receive postsecondary credentials. Burst for Prosperity is a founding partner and serves as a member of the Funders Group.
SkillUp Washington partners are working collaboratively to redesign how education and workforce development programs are delivered to provide greater opportunity for low-income individuals to secure family wage jobs. Activities include:
College for Working Adults: This signature program helps low-income working adults quickly earn a postsecondary credential. Comprehensive support services are a core part of the program. Skill Link is a new on ramp initiative that will create opportunities for 200-250 young adults ages 18-24. Participants will improve their work readiness and education skills and enroll in credit-bearing college programs through partnerships between community colleges, workforce investment boards, and community-based organizations in six pilot sites around Washington State.
Attainment Fund: The Attainment Fund is a flexible emergency fund for low-income students in the College for Working Adults programs. It helps students overcome financial obstacles that stand in the way of their college completion. Supports can be used for a variety of needs, including transportation assistance, help with utilities and housing, and clothing for work and school.
Paths to Education and Employment for Homeless Families: Recognizing that our community must support everyone in the drive for increased educational attainment, SkillUp and King County have partnered to devise a strategy for ending homelessness in our region. Project Self-Sufficiency uses personalized coaching and support services to help homeless clients achieve their goals in education and employment.
SkillUp Washington's partners include: The Seattle Foundation, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Microsoft Corporation, Northwest Area Foundation, United Way of King County, Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, City of Seattle Office of Economic Development, King County Department of Community and Human Services, The National Fund for Workforce Solutions, and Living Cities.
Methodology
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Pilot Programs
We strategically allocate resources to conduct scalable or replicable pilot programs in order to demonstrate effective solutions that assist individuals with building both personal and financial assets that promote long term sustainable financial independence.
SkillUp Washington
The Tipping-Point Study found that students who took at least one year's worth of college-credit courses earned on average significantly higher annual earnings.
More specifically, average earnings increase was $7,000 for students in ESL; $8,500 for those in adult basic education; and $2,700 and $1,700 for those entering with a GED or high school diploma, respectively.
Source: State Board of Community and Technical Colleges
