Renton agency, RTC receive $90,000 grant for low-income residents to pursue health care careers

The Healthcare Careers for Renton Residents project addresses the need for living wage jobs in Renton, and will focus on serving residents in the Sunset Area.

June 9, 2016 5:01 pm

Neighborhood House, a social service agency serving King County, and Renton Technical College (RTC), have been awarded a $90,000 grant from Boeing to help low-income Renton residents access living wage careers in the high demand healthcare sector.

The Healthcare Careers for Renton Residents project addresses the need for living wage jobs in Renton, and will focus on serving residents in the Sunset Area. The project will work to address the needs of healthcare employers by creating a skilled workforce that better reflects the diversity of Renton residents.

Healthcare is the second largest industry sector in Renton, behind manufacturing. The sector allows for advancement over time and includes options for residents with varying skill and education levels.

“Boeing’s partnership with Neighborhood House and grant of $90,000 is a significant investment for the Sunset area,” Renton Mayor Denis Law said in a press release. “This will help residents of the Sunset Neighborhood enroll in and complete post-secondary training programs and attain careers in the healthcare sector. I am extremely grateful for Boeing’s ongoing leadership and investment in our community.”

This project is an expansion of Neighborhood House’s employment and adult education work in the healthcare sector. Since 2011, Neighborhood House has helped more than 1,500 people find jobs, of which 24 percent were in healthcare.

Together, Neighborhood House and RTC will provide wrap-around education and career navigation services to 37 low-income Renton job seekers. Services will include career exploration assistance, academic enrollment and retention assistance, access to support services and financial aid, and job placement services.

Additionally, Neighborhood House and RTC will conduct a community needs assessment to better understand the educational and employment needs of low-income residents in Renton’s Sunset Area. This assessment, along with outcomes from the Healthcare Careers for Renton Residents project, will help both organizations plan for career training in the Sunset Area and for other low-income job seekers in Renton.