Workforce & Education
The Yakima County Development Association works closely with public and private organizations to help employers tap placement and training assistance. An available, hardworking labor force is an invaluable asset for businesses that are expanding in Yakima County. Tax credit and on-the-job training programs are available for these firms, and they are especially beneficial for companies new to the area:
A Sizable Labor Market
Yakima County’s total non agricultural employment in November 2010 was 76,400. The labor force fluctuates throughout the year due largely to seasonal agricultural activity and ranged in size from 124,320 in January to 138,240 in September. The average unemployment rate for 2010 was 9.8%, which represents an average of approximately 11,800 people monthly looking for work.
Overall, Yakima County’s median age (2010 estimates) is 32.89. For men the median age is 31.71 and for women it is 34.15.
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Positive Employment Trends
Yakima County’s employment outlook has been one of continued growth. Since 2002, jobs have increased by 8.7 percent in the county compared to 6.8 percent statewide.
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An Available Labor Force
With its strong stable economy Yakima County continues to experience significant labor force growth. A strong concentration of both males and females in the 15 to 34 year old age group account for a good portion of that growth. For fiscal year 2010, there 6,691 listed openings through the WorkSource Center in Yakima County. During the same period, there were 22,996 job seekers served by WorkSource.
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Competitive Wage Rates
Lower prevailing wage rates are the norm for a vast majority of occupations, particularly when compared to other parts of the state, region, and nation.
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Comparative Median Wage
| Occupation | Yakima MSA | Spokane MSA | Seattle MSA | Richland – Pasco – Kennewick MSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Production Manager | $37.46 | $38.26 | $48.63 | $46.06 |
| Transportation/Distribution Manager | $35.02 | $38.62 | $44.08 | $43.70 |
| 1st Line Supervisor/Production | $23.58 | $25.22 | $30.77 | $28.96 |
| 1st Line Supervisor/Transportation | $21.99 | $22.19 | $30.11 | $24.04 |
| Human Resources | $24.28 | $27.74 | $29.68 | $28.68 |
| Machinist | $18.37 | $17.30 | $22.66 | $22.66 |
| Team Assemblers/Production | $12.65 | $12.10 | $15.26 | $13.07 |
| Helpers/Production | $9.43 | $11.06 | $13.06 | $11.26 |
| Maintenance & Repair | $16.62 | $17.55 | $19.96 | $17.59 |
| Truck Driver/Heavy Trailer | $19.04 | $18.86 | $20.73 | $21.11 |
| Shipping/Receiving Clerk | $12.88 | $13.28 | $16.14 | $12.40 |
| Material Mover | $10.02 | $11.74 | $12.23 | $10.44 |
| Bookkeeping/Accounting Clerks | $16.13 | $15.84 | $18.36 | $16.96 |
| Office Clerks | $12.49 | $12.96 | $14.46 | $13.10 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $14.01 | $14.19 | $15.66 | $16.25 |
Education & Training
Yakima County offers a complete range of educational resources. Options range from a private technical college and major university to a number of specialized vocational training programs. Parents can choose from a wide variety of public and private educational settings for their children.
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Yakima Valley Community College
Yakima Valley Community College (YVCC) is a public two-year institution. It provides lower division college arts and sciences, university transfer, and vocational/technical education. YVCC offers vocational programs in information technology and provides customized training for local companies.
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Central Washington University
Central Washington University (CWU)-Yakima is one of six of CWU’s University Centers that offers upper division and graduate coursework towards baccalaureate and graduate degrees to place bound students. Degree programs are: B. A.Ed. Elementary Education, B. A. Law and Justice, B. S. Interdisciplinary Studies – Social Sciences. Coursework that can be applied toward B.S. Business Administration and B. S. Accounting, M. Ed Master and Reading Specialist. CWU-Yakima is in partnership with YVCC and WSU Learning Center located at the Deccio Higher Education Center.
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Heritage University
A four-year institution, Heritage University is a private institution whose major fields of concentration are teacher education, business administration, human resources management, mathematics, computer science, chemistry, and social sciences. Their main campus is located in Toppenish with satellite branches in Seattle, Moses Lake, and Tri-Cities, Washington. Graduate level courses are available in education and social sciences.
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Washington State University – College of Nursing
Washington State University offers students in Yakima an opportunity to earn various nursing degrees from Registered Nurse (RN) up through Doctorate in Philosophy in Nursing (PhD). Classes are offered at the Deccio Higher Education Center.
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Perry Technical Institute
Perry Technical Institute (PTI) offers a nationally recognized vocational/technical program. PTI offers ten programs in professions such as Information Technology, HVAC, Instrumentation, and Para-Legal Office Management. In cooperation with Central Washington University, they also offer extension programs in engineering, robotics, and other technology.
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Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences
The Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU) will train 75 new primary care physicians per year beginning in 2008. PNWU is staffed by academic instructors and practicing physicians from both the osteopathic and allopathic professions with a student body of 225.
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K-12 Education
Fifteen public school districts within Yakima County provide a sound, quality education for a total enrollment of 50,259 students. Schools here have received national recognition for their high quality education programs. Yakima has one of only two high schools in Washington state authorized to prepare students for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. Vocational Education programs at the high school level are available to students from participating school districts at the publicly supported YV-Technical Skills Center. Training is comparable to that received on the job in business and industry. The Valley is also served with numerous private and online school options which serve nearly 3,000 students annually. For more information on both public and private school districts, click here.
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Post-Secondary Enrollment Figures
| Institute | Enrollment |
|---|---|
| Central Washington University | 9,880 |
| Heritage University | 1,100 |
| Yakima Valley Community College | 12,500 |
| Perry Technical Institute | 910 |
| Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences | 225 |
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