News
New Facility Will Help Unemployed Get Back to Work
Monday, October 12th, 2009
NSCC Press Release
Revolutionary Change in Helping Unemployed Get Back to Work
Groundbreaking slated for new center--expected to be a national model for removing barriers that hinder the unemployed and underemployed
(Seattle, Oct. 12, 2009) The 130,000 thousand unemployed in the Seattle area and the 90,000 thousand who are underemployed face a multitude of challenges in trying to re-enter the workplace and become contributors to the economy. Meanwhile, the staggering numbers of newly unemployed have added a huge new burden to state agencies already struggling to help other vulnerable citizens even as their budgets are cut.
Barriers and budget cuts are forcing state agencies to completely re-think the delivery of services.
Four separate agencies assist those who are out of work and those who are "vulnerable" (seniors, disabled, struggling families, etc) and each has different assessments, tools to help, rules and regulations and even privacy concerns that prevent the sharing of information. The unemployed and our most vulnerable citizens face a lengthy and daunting gauntlet as they go from agency to agency, each requiring separate appointments in different locations. For people with children or dependent on bus transportation the current situation is especially frustrating.
After several years of concerted effort by the agencies and the state legislature, work is about to begin on a new project to provide seamless services that will have all four agencies in the same building, working together with the single goal of getting people back to work.
The new Center for Employment and Education at North Seattle Community College (NSCC) is designed to set a new standard in efficiency and service. It will be housed in a new building on campus and will serve the unemployed through five different community colleges, including North Seattle, Edmonds, Shoreline, Lake Washington Technical, and Seattle Central. Area employers will also be on site and participating in the project.
Washington State Speaker of the House Frank Chopp is a key champion of fundamental change. "These are extraordinarily tough times for many of our friends and neighbors," says Chopp. "And there is no better time to re-think how we provide services to those in need. People are hungry for work. They want to be productive. At the state level we are determined to strike out in a new direction, do things differently and better serve the unemployed, which in turn helps the overall economy of the state."
Other legislators instrumental in the project include Sen. Ken Jacobsen , Rep. Hans Dunshee, Rep. Phyllis Guiterrez Kenney, and Rep. Scott White.
Many executives and staff at the Department of Social and Health Services, Employment Security, WorkSource, the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County, and the state's community and technical colleges, have long recognized the frustration of job seekers. And they have been fully supportive of taking a new approach, co-locating, finding ways to make it easier and quicker for the un- and under-employed to get the help they need.
Locating the new center at North Seattle Community College was an easy choice because community colleges are recognized locally and nationally as the single most important resource for educating and training the un- and under-employed. NSCC President Ronald LaFayette notes that "the federal stimulus money will be gone by early 2011, when the center will open. And since unemployment tends to lag three years behind economic recovery, we will open while people still need additional help."
Designed by Schacht Aslani Architects, the 46,000 square foot facility not only brings the four agencies together, but also fosters collaboration between them through the absence of departmental boundaries. "The design facilitates the new service model of teamwork between agencies," said Cima Malek-Aslani, Principal, Schacht Aslani Architects. "The open office layout encourages staff collaboration through access to shared information, while the enclosed meeting and conference rooms allow for confidentiality."
The building features multiple sustainable strategies including a 7,000 square foot green roof, maximum daylighting, energy savings and water use reduction. It is targeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, with an anticipated 26% energy savings and 46% reduction in water use.
The all-in-one location will streamline services related to employment services, basic skills education, career training, unemployment insurance, food stamps, child support, transportation services, welfare, health care and other state aid. Metro has even taken steps to re-route a bus line so that there is a direct link to regional transit centers. This fundamental change in how services are provided addresses a long standing problem in a new and creative way.
About North Seattle Community College
A two-year public college, North Seattle Community College is the starting point for many students who transfer to top universities across the country. Known nationally for the quality of its instruction, including a strong e-learning program, NSCC also provides outstanding professional and technical career training in emerging fields such as nanotechnology, information technology for healthcare and green real estate. Established in 1970, NSCC is a member of the Seattle Community College District. Since its opening, the college has helped more than 300,000 students pursue their educational goals.
Contacts: Carol Summers, NSCC. (206) 526-7791
Kathleen Warren, Parsons Public Relations. (206) 789-5668, (206) 778-6695
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