Neighborhood Career Pathways:
Port of Seattle Workforce Development Partnership 

In 2025, the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods partnered with the Port of Seattle to launch an innovative workforce equity initiative that connects immigrant and refugee communities to career opportunities at one of the region’s most important economic engines. 

Through this partnership, DON is helping create new pathways for English language learners to access stable, family-supporting jobs in aviation, maritime, construction, and green industries connected to the Port of Seattle, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Working with trusted community partners including Somali Health Board, Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS), and Literacy Source, the program support English language learners as they build the skills, confidence, and connections needed to pursue careers in port-related industries. Participants strengthen their English and digital literacy skills, learn about career pathways, and connect directly with employers and training opportunities.

In its first year, the program will support multiple training cohorts and introduce 40-60 participants to career opportunities at the Port. Participants will also tour port facilities and build professional networks that help open doors to long-term employment.

This partnership highlights the power of collaboration between local government, community organizations, and regional employers. By connecting communities to opportunity, DON is helping ensure Seattle’s economic future is more inclusive, accessible, and shared by all.

Chinatown International District Community Capacity

This area of service supports both community capacity building in the Chinatown International District (CID) and piloting community capacity building models in equity areas throughout the city. The goals of this work are to increase community participation, cultivate community leadership, and build a pipeline for community-led neighborhood visioning, activation, and action plans.  

 The CID is a multi-faceted cultural, transportation, and economic hub and the City is constantly delivering 50+ different projects, programs, and policies in the neighborhood. DON facilitates the internal citywide engagement with the CID Visioning Advisory Group which is a coalition of 20 diverse organizations in the CID. DON’s internal and external community capacity building strategy is to advance coordinated planning efforts through a racial justice framework. 

[I think this should just be a button that goes to the CID page and not have these bullets down here]

DON’s CID Community Capacity Building portfolio includes 

• Critical relationship management with the CID communities and City departments.  
• Long-term racial justice framework for strategic project management and facilitation of community outreach and engagement for large citywide planning initiatives and major capital projects.  
• Contract management and technical assistance for CID Visioning Group’s Long-term Community Action “Implementation” Plan. 
• Research, analysis, and community engagement for CID Community Benefits Agreement Framework.