Washington employers are turning to community colleges to meet their workforce needs amid a worker shortage. But the pipeline for skilled workers is running dry.

Enrollment declines at community and technical colleges hit many institutions hard during the pandemic, and a full return to pre-pandemic levels remains elusive.

The 125,455 full-time enrollments at Washington’s 33 colleges during this spring term is 13.4% lower compared to Spring 2019. It was down by almost 22.4% two years ago.

“Part of the reason (is) students’ tastes have changed a little bit in how they like to get education and training, because they’re juggling their family and work obligations,” said Carolyn McKinnon, policy associate for workforce education at Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Experts say the coming worker shortages will be more acute for some industries than others.

Community and technical colleges have long been regarded as premier providers of mid-skilled workers, like electricians, carpenters, dental assistants and construction managers, among others. Demand for such jobs is expected to increase in the coming years as more potential workers shy away from the prospect.

The professional and business services industry is projected to add the most jobs — 93,600 — to the state’s economy by 2032, according to the Washington State Employment Security Department. That’s followed by education and health services and social assistance. Those industries include jobs like office clerks, bookkeepers, nurses and schoolteachers.

“We need to keep people and get people hooked on the idea that you can make a great living in the trades,” McKinnon said. “You don’t have to go get a master’s degree or bachelor’s degree.”

Apprenticeship programs facilitated by the college system are heavily focused on trade jobs. They had a 91% job placement rate among the 2021-2022 cohort, the latest data available. Colleges reported median wages of up to $51.93 per hour for the cohort post-completion of the program.

A report by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce published this summer found that the Seattle metro is facing a severe skilled workforce gap. The report estimated Seattle has a shortfall of 6,244 credentialed workers in high-paying middle-skills occupations, which includes 2,573 blue-collar jobs like mechanics and construction equipment operators.

“Where shortages exist, they tend to be substantial,” the report states. “Consequently, in metro areas that will experience shortages, most providers would need to dramatically expand their credential production to fill all of the job openings available to middle-skills workers with credentials aligned with those occupations.”

The state board for community and technical colleges offers various programs that help equip potential workers with the necessary skills to fit employers’ needs as they arise. The jobs skills training program is one of the most popular.

Funded by a $7.5 million annual grant from the state, the program partners with employers to upskill and train employees to fulfill existing or future needs. Between the fiscal year 2021 and 2023, 8,163 employees belonging to 126 different companies participated in the program.

Fiscal year 2024 was a blockbuster year for the program, when 2,895 employees and 37 companies participated, pointing to a growing need for skilled workers. The manufacturing industry represented two-thirds of the total.

Tacoma-based Aquagga Inc. used the program earlier this year to train eight staff members in work safety and customer development strategies. The startup has developed technology that it says destroys “forever chemicals” like PFAS in water.

“Sustaining and building on our success depends on having the right people,” Aquagga CEO Dhileep Sivam told the Business Journal in an email. “Finding and developing talented and motivated employees is the most important factor in achieving our mission and scaling effectively.”

Sivam said the Seattle-area labor market is “highly competitive” among employers.

The unemployment rate in the Seattle metro jumped to 4.5% this September from 3.5% in September 2023. Meanwhile, the labor force has shrunk by 35,797 over the same period.

“For Aquagga, staying ahead requires not only technical excellence but also a team with the right overall expertise to drive sustainable growth,” Sivam said.