A strong agricultural base is common to the economies of the three central Washington Counties with a compliment of manufacturing, and retail industries.
Unemployment remains at a disparate higher rate over the state average.
The distinct economic, demographic, and employment needs of the SDA have created a need for new and innovative approaches to meeting local workforce needs. Our current labor exchange system is simply outdated, and the lack of a comprehensive workforce training system is falling short of meeting local business demands for qualified workers in an ever increasingly technical workplace. The local dynamics that have evolved from continued globalization of the economy, combined with greater expectations of public entities, has required a comprehensive response to local workforce needs. To meet these new challenges, the Partners of the One-Stop Workforce Partnership of Central Washington have embraced the challenge of working in concert to improve workforce development in Central Washington. The Partnership has begun the process of leveraging resources and synergizing organizations to improve the delivery of education, training and employment services in Yakima, Kittitas, and Klickitat Counties.