EDITOR’S NOTE: South King Media Founder/Publisher Scott Schaefer serves on the Board of Directors for the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce.
More than 100 business, education and government leaders gathered April 24, 2025, at the Seattle Southside Chamber’s annual Education and Workforce Summit to strengthen the student-to-career pipeline and tackle regional workforce challenges.
Held at the accesso ShoWare Center in Kent, the event featured a wide-ranging panel discussion led by Highline School Board President Joe Van, with opening remarks by Chamber CEO Samantha Le and Kent Mayor Dana Ralph.
“This room today really represents for me that team that our kids deserve,” said Mayor Ralph. “There is not a single one of us in this room that can do what we do alone, and our kids certainly can’t navigate what it looks like to go from school into the workforce alone.”
Panelists included educators, workforce leaders, business owners, and students, who shared both challenges and solutions around workforce readiness, equitable access, mentorship, wages, and industry partnerships.
One of the strongest calls to action came from Van, who asked participants to “find just one way to be part of the solution,” whether through internships, curriculum partnerships or legislative support. “None of this matters if we don’t do something about it,” he said. “This isn’t someone else’s job – it’s our job.”
Youth voices also played a major role, with local high school students expressing a desire for more hands-on experience, mentorship, and practical training.
“I meet a lot of people and email a lot of people, but then it kind of stops there,” said Jayden Young, a student at Choice Academy. “I want to foster long-term relationships where we can share resources and opportunities.”
Participants emphasized that improving workforce outcomes must be a long-term, collaborative effort.
“Our students are still recovering from the pandemic,” said Dr. Ivan Duran, superintendent of Highline Public Schools. “We have to prepare them for jobs that haven’t even been created yet.”
Video
Below is video from the event, as filmed/edited by Scott Schaefer (running time ~1-hour, 52-minutes):
Learn more about the chamber’s Success Foundation (the Chamber’s 501(c)(3) charitable arm), whose mission is to empower individuals and communities through education and workforce development here:
