Washington Business Fall 2019 | Washington Business | Page 26

what’s working
“The need for skilled manufacturing talent
is growing in our state, and it presents a
tremendous opportunity for our young people.”
— William Murray, career and technical education teacher,
Capital High School, Olympia
Scott Anderson of CSR Marine in Seattle says
Washington’s labor shortage is a challenge his full-
service boatyards face every day.
But he’s not sitting back and waiting for a rescue.
Anderson and other Washington employers are the
driving force behind Core Plus, a 2-year high school
manufacturing curriculum that is steadily expanding
across the state.
advanced manufacturing
The Boeing Co. wrote the first curriculum on aircraft
manufacturing, and donated it to the state in 2014. It’s
been approved by state education officials so students
can earn graduation credits in English, math, science,
and career and technical education (CTE) while going
through the program. High school students learn
foundational skills like tool use, safety and reliability
in the first year, and more specific industry skills in
their second year of the program.
The program began with a focus on aerospace and
advanced manufacturing. Today, state officials are
working to expand it to maritime manufacturing and
construction trades. About 40 schools used the program in the 2018-19 school year.
“I think the single biggest thing is it provides a really solid foundation that we can count on,” says Sarah Patterson, a
program supervisor with the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). “It really provides a continuity
across the state that you can expect from a student exiting a Core Plus program.”
There are multiple benefits, Patterson noted. First, it helps employers cut down on training time, and focus their
energies on specific areas where new employees need to be mentored. And students graduate with a Core Plus certificate,
which allows them to better advocate for themselves.
The heart of the Core Plus program is the curriculum. The state budget includes $1.35 million this year to expand and
maintain the program.
Schools can receive $75,000 grants to start a program, and $50,000 grants to maintain it. The money helps pay for
advanced manufacturing equipment like CNC machines, and extensive professional development for the CTE instructors
who have dedicated themselves to help kids connect with school, beyond traditional academic work.
OSPI awarded $450,000 in the 2018-19 school year to 23 school districts in Washington. The funding helped about 2,100
students at 27 schools gain confidence and hands-on experience.
“The need for skilled manufacturing talent is growing in our state, and it presents a tremendous opportunity for our young
people,” Capital High School teacher William Murray wrote in an op-ed published in The Olympian. “...Students who have a
chance to explore career interests and develop ‘skills that pay the bills’ will not only be able to answer the question about what
comes next, they will graduate confident that many doors and post-high school pathways are open to them.”
26 association of washington business