what ’ s working
“ You can ’ t pick a business , whether it ’ s restaurants or car dealerships or grocery stores , that isn ’ t majorly benefited by aerospace .”
— Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers
“ We always hang a hat on the backlog at Boeing and the number one thing we look at is the jobs report ,” Tom Lane of Dwayne Lane ’ s Auto Family said in the report . Everett and Lynwood aerospace workers supported the estimated equivalent of 1,160 car sales in 2023 .
The impacts are not limited to the cities with Boeing facilities . Many Boeing employees reside in outlying areas such as Skagit County , Whidbey Island , North Bend and Moses Lake – and spend their wages locally .
The key challenges for the industry , according to the report , are workforce shortages , capital access , and material availability and prices .
Pandemic-related layoffs and retirements continue to impact the workforce , including the “ loss of historical and specialized knowledge and skill has resulted in less productive operations ,” the report notes .
Companies like Boeing continue to invest in programs to train the next generation of workers . In 2023 , Boeing hired its 1,000th graduate from the Core Plus program , a two-year advanced manufacturing curriculum that prepares high school students for high-demand jobs through hands-on learning .
Most aerospace positions require a bachelor ’ s degree , though some roles require only a high school diploma or associate ’ s degree .
Somers said the county works with local colleges and high schools to support training for future aerospace employees and to help existing workers attain new skills .
Boeing also partners with organizations such as Chinook Enterprises and Orion Industries that provide job skills training and employment to people with disabilities and other barriers . In addition to their social mission , these manufacturers are key Boeing suppliers .
As the pandemic ended , “ traffic trends have rebounded and demand for commercial airplanes has risen significantly ,” the report concludes .
“ Our overall hope for releasing this report ,” Smith said , “ is to help shed light on the importance of these companies to our region , and how as they recover , they will only strengthen and grow our economy .”
As of July 2024 , aerospace employment
stands at 81,800 jobs
in Washington state
“ We always hang a hat on the backlog at Boeing and the number one thing we look at is the jobs report .”
— Tom Lane of Dwayne Lane ’ s Auto Family
28 association of washington business