By Mark Edward Nero
Ninety high school students will have a chance to get a jump start on their careers this summer as part of the Port of Seattle’s high school internship program. Seventy teens will work at port facilities, while another 20 will work with private manufacturing and maritime-related employers on or near the docks.
“Internships can pave the way for a young person’s career path,” said Rep. Eric Pettigrew (D-Renton). “We want to encourage them to get experience in the maritime and manufacturing sector.”
The port is asking local businesses to contribute by hiring the 20 interns for the summer. Students from the Career-Technical Education programs at Seattle’s Rainier Beach and Cleveland High Schools will be recruited.
“We’ve heard a lot about the shrinking middle class, so the port is stepping up our efforts to support family-wage jobs and to make sure there is a pipeline of trained workers for these kinds of high-demand, high-skill jobs,” port Commissioner Tom Albro explained.
The port is working with the City of Seattle’s Youth Employment Initiative to fill almost half of the available internships. A dozen of those interns will be taught how to design and build SharePoint solutions to solve business problems, according to the port.
Also among the opportunities being offered to the student interns are jobs within the Seattle’s Marine Maintenance Department.
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
