In 2010, the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board found that seventeen percent of Washington businesses had difficulty filling vacancies. Eleven thousand employers reported there simply were not enough qualified job applicants for positions that require degrees in STEM (science, technology, engineering & math) fields.
To address the problem, the Legislature passed House Bill 2088 in 2011, creating the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship Program. This is a public-private partnership to help low- and middle-income Washington residents earn bachelor’s degrees and pursue careers in the high-demand fields that drive our state economy.
Upon its creation, the state put in $5 million to get the ball rolling and two of Washington’s major employers, Boeing and Microsoft, pitched in $25 million each. So far, about 2,500 students are receiving opportunity scholarships, all of them pursuing degrees in STEM or health care fields. About 700 new scholarships will be awarded later this year.
Acknowledging the importance of ensuring Washington produces the necessary workforce to fill all the high-demand vacancies in the state, this session the Legislature added $25 million to the Opportunity Scholarship fund, which, according to this Seattle Times story, may encourage more private businesses to join in.
The goal is to raise $500 million in private funds, matched by state support, for a total of $1 billion by 2020.
To learn more about the program, you can check out its December 2013 Legislative Report.