The Department of Commerce is the one agency in state government that touches every aspect of community and economic development : planning , infrastructure , energy , public facilities , housing , public safety and crime victims , international trade , business services and more . We work with local governments , tribes , businesses , and civic leaders throughout the state to strengthen communities so all residents may thrive and prosper .
Our business services work includes a focus on industry sector growth throughout the state . Aerospace is a key sector with companies and employees in nearly every county in the state . The definition of aerospace includes commercial and military aircraft , unmanned and autonomous systems and space exploration vehicles .
Unmanned systems are also a key part of Washington ’ s IoT ( Internet of Things ) landscape . Drones are a good example of fully networked computing devices capable of generating vast amounts of data to provide insights relevant to large numbers of diverse industries .
As propulsive technologies and computing power become more efficient , the amount and type of data collected will be increasingly sophisticated .
We believe that additional investments in the unmanned and autonomous industry will create good quality jobs , support equity and sustainability across Washington communities and help bring additional sources of capital here .
Figure 1 . The Amazon Prime Air MK27 , a state-of-the-art “ last mile ” package delivery UAS .
Figure 3 . Insitu ScanEagle on launcher . Image : U . S . Marine Corps / Gunnery Sgt Shannon Arledge
Center of Excellence for Aerospace & Advanced Manufacturing
Mary Kaye Bredeson , Executive Director
As one of eleven Centers of Excellence ( COE ) in
Washington State , the Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing provides leadership and resources to support economic growth , focusing on aerospace and advanced manufacturing . Working strategically with our industry partners and educational institutions , we assist in developing the talent pipeline for the next generation of future workers within the aerospace industry sector . The COE serves as statewide liaisons to business , industry , labor , and the state ’ s education systems for the purpose of creating a highly skilled and readily available workforce critical to the success of the industries driving the state ’ s economy and supporting Washington families .
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