Just as no single cause of poverty exists, there is no distinct solution.  Low-income people face multiple barriers to success in life and require support systems to lift themselves out of poverty.  Workforce education, specifically postsecondary education, is one of the most promising anti-poverty strategies.  By attaining at least one year of postsecondary education, low-income working adults have an opportunity to earn an improvement in their skills set, their economic status, and a chance for a long-term career plan.

In addition to bettering the lives the low-income working adults, the economy of the Seattle-King County greatly benefits as well.  The end product that we are reaching for is a stronger economy that benefits local employers and working adults. Three outcomes that lead to this potentially prosperous economy are:

• More low-income working adults advancing into family-supporting jobs that mature into long-term career paths
• More low-income working adults attaining postsecondary education (1 year with a credential valued by an industry)
• Increased employer access to a qualified workforce

Building the skills of the adult workforce — and insuring that Seattle-King County employers have qualified workers — is an economic necessity.

Click here to view our Press Release in partnership with the Gates Foundation that highlights our College for Working Adults model and demonstrates how college programs are addressing the needs of working adults.