Priority Hire
The City promotes access to construction careers for women, people of color and others with social and economic disadvantages. In 2015, the City created a priority hire program for City public works construction projects of $5 million or more and, in 2017, expanded the program to public/private partnership projects with significant City investment. Using City-funded and public/private partnership projects, the Priority Hire Program prioritizes the hiring of residents that live in economically distressed areas, particularly in Seattle and King County. In addition, City projects and public/private partnership projects have apprentice utilization requirements and women and people of color aspirational goals.
General information and resources
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Handouts
- Priority Hire brochure
- Construction Worker Pathway
- What is a Project Labor Agreement? (also known as a community workforce agreement)
- Priority Hire for Public Agencies
- Acceptable Work Site poster
Reports
- 2024 Spatial Analysis of Priority Workers and Distressed ZIP Codes
- 2022 Regional Public Owners Construction Workforce Analysis
- Climate Pledge Arena: Priority Hire, Contract Equity and Community Impact
- 2023 Priority Hire Annual Report
- 2023 Priority Hire Advisory Committee (PHAC) Annual Report
- 2022 Priority Hire Annual Report
- 2022 Priority Hire Advisory Committee (PHAC) Annual Report
- 2021 Priority Hire Annual Report
- 2021 Priority Hire Advisory Committee (PHAC) Annual Report
- 2020 Priority Hire Annual Report
- 2019 Priority Hire Annual Report
- 2018 Priority Hire Annual Report
- 2017 Priority Hire Annual Report
- City of Seattle Construction Hiring Analysis
- Construction Workforce Entry Survey
- Exploring Targeted Hire: An Assessment of Best Practices in the Construction Industry
- Worker Profile in City of Seattle Construction Projects
Latest news
- Aug. 31, 2021: Priority Hire approval to create local construction jobs for West Seattle Bridge repairs
- Mar. 2, 2021: City of Seattle, Sound Transit and Port of Seattle announce $1.75 million investments for construction diversity programs and equity in workforce development
- Seattle Public Schools builds on City's Priority Hire program
Construction training and education
The City contracts with community organizations and construction pre-apprenticeship training programs to recruit, place and train women, people of color and those living in economically distressed areas.
Interested in construction training? For more information on where to begin, contact the City job and training advisor at (206) 512-9737 or jon.bersche@seattle.gov.
Resources
Experienced workers
Workers with more than five years of construction experience and industry certifications in a specific craft may request entry directly into a union. Schedule a meeting with a business agent at the appropriate union hall. Bring construction work paystubs, industry certifications, letters of recommendation and military experience documentation. Processes for entry vary and may result in entry as a first-year apprentice, an advanced apprentice or journey-level worker. Call the apprenticeship training coordinator, union or the City job and training advisor at (206) 512-9737.
For contractors
Community workforce agreement
The City partners with labor unions through a Community Workforce Agreement (CWA), giving contractors working on City projects access to a local, qualified workforce. This access will help contractors meet their workforce diversity requirements and goals. One CWA was negotiated for all covered City projects.
- Community workforce agreement (2015) - applies to all current projects
- Community workforce agreement (2021) - applies to upcoming projects
- Economically distressed ZIP codes
CWA contracting documents
- Pre-job conference package and waiver request
- Letter of assent form
- Request for craft employee form
- Dual benefit reimbursement form (open-shop contractors)
Handouts