Washington college leaders urge employers to partner on internships, apprenticeships

Panelists at a Washington workforce panel said stronger, easier-to-access partnerships between employers and higher education are key to preparing students for in-demand jobs.

Paul Francis, executive director of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, said collaboration “is really baked into the DNA of our 34 community and technical colleges,” noting advisory committees, customized training and long‑running programs that align curriculum to employer needs. He described state-level supports such as the Job Skills Program and a network of 13 Centers of Excellence that connect colleges with industry.

Amy Morrison, president of Lake Washington Institute of Technology, emphasized college‑level employer connections and recent investments from industry. “We are in the backyard of Microsoft and Amazon,” she said, adding that those companies have supported computer‑science bachelor’s degrees and hiring pipelines. Morrison also highlighted new aerospace assembly and manufacturing certifications launched with employer funding.

Sherry McMahon, president of Eastern Washington University, said her institution’s strategic plan centers on applied learning to serve first‑generation students and regional labor needs, including programs in health care, computer science and urban planning. Terry Sanders Kwan, president and CEO of Independent Colleges of Washington, pointed to micro‑internships and short research projects as ways smaller employers can engage without large commitments.

Panelists urged employers to start small if needed: offer site tours, classroom projects or short placements rather than full internships, and use college career centers or the Washington workforce portal to connect with students. “If you feel like you just start small and just ask for that warm hand off,” Sanders Kwan said, “there’s lots of ways to help students explore.”

The panelists emphasized that colleges host career centers, post internships and work with regional employer partners to create pipelines. Paul Francis urged employers to contact system workforce staff for help making connections; he noted turnover at colleges can make outreach harder but said the Board can assist in linking businesses to the right local contacts.

The session closed with a reminder from the moderator about statewide resources: CareerConnect Washington, college career centers, and a regional workforce portal run in partnership with Columbia Basin College and Washington State University Tri‑Cities.