Pierce County's unemployment rate is higher than the state average, and services to assist jobseekers are primarily centralized in the city of Tacoma, providing challenges in serving residents across the 1800 square mile County. Eleven thousand soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord will transition into the civilian sector over the next several years. High-tech jobs are a growing industry locally, yet a computer skills gap has been identified among residents. Technology skills are a barrier for long-term unemployed individuals seeking to obtain a living-wage job.

Get Hired provides job training and services to help jobseekers build skills and obtain living-wage jobs. PCL built and leveraged partnerships (Workforce Central, WorkSource Washington, RallyPoint/6, Washington State Library, local employment services) to bring experts into libraries across the county to offer individual assistance and training. “Job TRACK” (tech readiness + career kickstart) improves basic computer skills. “6 week geek” introduces learners to web development. Free Microsoft certification is offered at the Library’s “Open Lab at RP/6”, an agency serving soldiers, or through test preparation classes. Technology classes expanded to 18 branch locations and online classes allow 24/7 tech learning.

For jobseekers: 1,600 jobseekers were helped through workshops and individual job coaching, with 103 “Job TRACK” graduates, 25 “6 Week Geek” graduates (new in 2016), and 481 individuals earning Microsoft certification.

For the Library: Get Hired positioned the Library as community convener around the community goal of ensuring residents have living-wage jobs, and employers have access to a local workforce with needed skills. Pierce County Library was invited by WorkForce Central to join the four Federally mandated partners to help lead re-envisioning employment services and implementing the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act in Pierce County.