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Kitsap County – Top Employers, Hiring Elizabeth Court, Economic Principal, KEDA Private and public sector employers across the county noted a continuing demand for both skilled and entry-level workers in most sectors. The labor market tightened with the unemployment rate dropping to a reported 3.4 percent. The Department of the Navy is currently posting 54 civilian positions including jobs at both Bremerton and Bangor, while private defense contractors continue to post job openings at a swift pace. Lockheed Martin notes 17 open positions in Kitsap. A number of area manufacturers appear to be reducing the number of jobs posted, that said, welders...

Kitsap is home to a richly diverse pool of talented residents from former Navy personnel to graduates of colleges and universities, tech centers, and military training.Kitsap County is a fantastic place to live, and KEDA is working on both attracting a talented workforce and keeping them in Kitsap County. That’s why the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) supports a variety of Workforce Initiatives to enhance retention.“When you think of a labor market, you can see that the demand side will continue to change depending on the needs of employers, whether in the private or public sectors. In our current economy, most workers,...

Public sector leads growth in Kitsap County workforce SILVERDALE, WA – The Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA), in collaboration with the Center for Economic and Business Research at Western Washington University (CERB-WWU), has published the 2024 Kitsap Top Employers List, offering critical insight into the county’s employment landscape.As the most frequently accessed report on KEDA’s website, the Top Employers List is a valuable resource for public and private sector partners, site selectors, real estate professionals, and companies exploring expansion or relocation in Kitsap County. The 2024 data reflects total headcount and Full Time Equivalent (FTE) employment as of December 31, 2024,...

 Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities in the Local Job Market Compiled by Elizabeth Court, Economic Development Principal, KEDA Elizabeth Court, Economic Development Principal   Kitsap Economic Development AllianceKEDA is teaming up with our education partner, West Sound STEM, to evaluate Bureau of Labor Statistics and Employment Security Department data. This helps us identify which employers are among those doing the most hiring in our community, as well as the industries and occupations in high demand. Scroll down to take a look at March 2025 data in our blog post.Despite ongoing uncertainty around inflation and trade issues, many Kitsap County employers are continuing to...

Bremerton’s Olympic College is collaborating with Kitsap Transit on a new electrical-theory course: “Electrical Theory: Direct Current Basics.”The 10-week program will give students a foundational understanding of direct-current electricity — a baseline area of expertise for those looking to pursue careers related to electric-vehicle technology, a release said."This partnership with Kitsap Transit provides crucial training for in-demand jobs in our community," said Wendy Fox, interim dean of workforce and economic development at Olympic College, in the release.Priced at $750, the course will start on April 10 and be hosted at the Kitsap Transit facility. The latter organization said that “Electrical...

Workforce shortages are a pressing issue for Washington employers! Employers, workers and all community members are encouraged to share their thoughts on Washington’s workforce system through a new survey.The survey is part of the Washington Workforce Training & Education Board’s community outreach as the state’s next workforce plan is created. The plan, Talent and Prosperity for All, is being developed now and will guide investments of roughly $1.3 billion in state and federal dollars that serve nearly 500,000 Washingtonians. Many Washington employers face a serious shortage of skilled workers, and workers need family-wage jobs that offer stability and opportunities to advance.TAKE THE...

The transformation of West Sound Technical Skills Center in Bremerton is visibly underway, with the first phase of a multi-year renovation project progressing steadily. Onlookers can see the 125-foot yellow crane carefully maneuvering steel beams to construct a new, two-story, 50,000-square-foot building on the southeast corner of the campus. This ambitious effort is on track for completion by September 2025, just in time for the 2025-26 school year.Andersen Construction and Bassetti Architects are spearheading the project, working diligently to meet the tight timeline despite the challenges of winter weather. "They're out there four days a week, 10 hours a day,"...

Education professionals spend a day at shipyard, learning about career opportunities available for students By Ben Hutto, PSNS & IMF Public Affairs  View original postBREMERTON, Wash.   –  Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility played host to 17 educators, administrators and career counselors from various academic institutions from across the state Oct. 21, during the annual PSNS & IMF Educator Day.The event is designed to provide educators insight to the many professional opportunities available at the shipyard. Those insights can then be used to assist educators as they guide students and help them achieve their career goals — including...

Workforce Development Month is recognized every September and serves as a reminder of a skilled and adaptable workforce's crucial role in driving economic growth and fostering a competitive business environment. Even though the official month has passed, the initiatives and strategies that support workforce development are relevant year-round. In Kitsap County, workforce development focuses on job creation and equipping businesses with the right talent to thrive in today's dynamic economy.One local leader with firsthand experience of the evolving workforce landscape is Kristal Thomas, Owner & CEO of Express Employment Professionals in Bremerton. Thomas emphasizes Kitsap's unique positioning, particularly with the...

Read full story on Kitsap Sun;  Northwest Maritime high school students could be a new hope for WSF workforce deficitIn a new program, Washington State Ferries is aiming to remedy its shortage of maritime workers by training high schoolers.About a dozen 12th graders enrolled in Northwest Maritime and Highline Public School’s Maritime High School boarded a ferry leaving the Coleman Dock in Seattle on Wednesday. For the rest of the day, their second day of “Classroom on the Water,” the students would travel across Puget Sound, absorbing vessel operation skills and knowledge with hands-on learning and instruction from various instructors...

 KEDA and Western Washington University Center for Economic and Business Research partner to produce Kitsap Top Employers ListSILVERDALE, WA – The Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA), in collaboration with the Center for Economic and Business Research at Western Washington University, has released its 2023 Kitsap Top Employers List. The most frequently accessed report on KEDA’s website, this data is crucial for public and private partners, potential real estate investors, and companies considering expansion or relocation. The report's employment counts, reflecting total headcount and Full Time Equivalent (FTE) employment as of December 31, 2023, are based on primary data of what...

By Ben Hutto, PSNS & IMF Pubic AffairsPuget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility hopes to hire about 1,500 new employees across a variety of skills, trades and specialties, for both entry-level and journey-level, full-time Federal positions, through a two-day hiring fair, August 9-10, at the Kitsap Conference Center in downtown Bremerton, Washington.The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.PSNS & IMF is seeking people with a variety of skillsets and experience levels, including applicants with no previous trade skills or experience. Those interested in applying for Federal jobs at the command should bring...

Joe Morrison Guest column to the Kitsap SunOne Kitsap - KEDA's Ambitious 5-Year Economic StrategyAround this time last year, the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) held eight meetings with over 60 stakeholders. We asked two questions of our community: One, what were the economic issues we were facing locally? Two, as the economic developer, where should our organization focus its efforts over the next five years to make the greatest impact?Discussions brought together a wide range of community stakeholders: Tribal leaders, small business owners, public officials, educators. They were joined by others from a variety of industries, such as financial...

Olympic College announces partnership with Kitsap County Commissioners & Virginia Mason Franciscan Health(Poulsbo, Wash.) – Olympic College is excited to announce a partnership with the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH) on the first phase of building a new regional health sciences campus at its Poulsbo location.With generous contributions of $6 million of American Recovery Plan Act funding from Kitsap County Commissioners and $2.5 million from VMFH, the first phase will include the launch of new health science programs to fill critical health care roles in the region. The programs include dental assisting, dental hygiene,...