Workforce Development Funds

About the Workforce Development Funds

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) is committed to helping industry thrive and expand in Washington State and to continue the development of a skilled workforce. The allocated resources will support the continued alignment of education and training programs with current industry practice and employee recruitment needs.

This funding is to support one-time projects that are necessary to meet changing needs and expectations of industry and/or prospective students, or to support local workforce and economic development initiatives. Successful proposals will do one or more of the following:

• Support the transition, redesign, or adjustment of workforce education and training programs to meet the changing needs and expectations of industry (e.g., new competencies, articulation agreements, career pathways, competency-based credentials, badging/micro-credentials, new technology, etc.);
• Support the transition, redesign, or adjustment of instructional programs to meet changing needs and expectations of prospective students for how instructional programs are delivered (e.g., hybrid, remote, virtual, asynchronous);
• Create, support, or streamline local workforce and economic development initiatives; and/or
• Support and expand workforce development partnerships among employers, education and training providers, and workers.

Who may apply:

• Public community and technical colleges, as defined under RCW 28B.50.030, and Centers of Excellence (COE), as codified under RCW 28B.50.902, may apply for funding.
• Colleges may submit only one application as an individual institution or as the lead institution of a consortium.
• Applications are allowed from both a Center of Excellence (COE) and, separately, from their host college.
• Applications from a COE should be in a separate OGMS application, but submitted through its host college.
  • While a COE can submit applications separately, and colleges may participate in more than one consortium, the review panel will be cautious about awarding funding for multiple projects to one institution.

Invest in Washington

Invest in Washington funding has been added to the Workforce Development Fund to meet the specifications of the Invest in Washington Account, RCW 82.85.070. Preference points will be given to projects designed to accomplish one or more of the priorities specific to manufacturing and production occupations: customized training, job skills, job readiness training, workforce professional development, and/or to assist employers with state-approved registered apprenticeship programs specifically for manufacturing and production occupations.

2026-27 Important dates

2026-27 Program Guidelines and Resources

• 2026-27 Workforce Development, High Demand, and Invest in WA Program Guidelines
• Assurances
• Budget and Equipment List (single applicant)
• Budget and Equipment List (consortium)
• Application Webinar PowerPoint Presentation
• Application Webinar Video Recording
• Q & A - updated March 12, 2026

2025-26 Important date

2025-26 Program Guidelines and Resources

• 2025-26 Workforce Development Funds Guidelines
• Budget and Equipment List (single applicant)
• Budget and Equipment List (consortium)

---

Impacts

Expanding Craft Beverage Education Through Equipment, Faculty Training, and Industry Alignment

South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) used Workforce Development Funds to support and strengthen its Associate in Applied Science-Transfer (AAS-T) in Craft Brewing and Distilling program.

To align with industry expectations and prepare students for careers in brewing and distilling, the college used Workforce Development Funds to:

• Purchase industry-standard equipment to enhance hands-on instruction in brewing, distilling, and beverage processing;
• Provide professional development for faculty and technical staff, with an emphasis on sensory analysis and production best practices in beer, cider, and spirits; and
• Expand instructional resources through the creation of an on-site technical library.

Notable achievements include:

Equipment Purchase to Enhance Learning

• Purchased, commissioned, and used a centrifuge and related pumps to train students in operating industry-standard equipment – critical for improving clarity and shelf life in beverage production.

Sensory Awareness Training

• Provided five staff members – including the lead brewer, lead distiller, and faculty lead – with training in sensory analysis, cider and spirits production, legal compliance, and current industry operations practices.

Plant Operations Update

• Improved brewery/distillery plant operations through:
  • Installation of mold mitigation sprayballs in four vessels (purchased with leveraged funds), and
  • Installation of spunding valves to control CO₂ release and manage pressure (also purchased with leveraged funds).

Lab Safety Enhancements

• Secured additional biological specimens, glassware, and tabletop equipment to improve lab instruction.
• Purchased a water bath pasteurizer using leveraged funds to train students in safe packaging practices and shelf-life extension.
• Supplemented these upgrades with local operational funds to support maintenance, equipment repair, and other instructional supply purchases.

Continued Investment

• Received FY26 counterpart funding from the Washington State Legislature via the Department of Commerce to purchase and install a grain conveyance system for corn, further enhancing the production capacity of the CBD facility.

Improved Enrollment

• Instructed 15 students in 200-level and 16 students in 100-level Craft Brewing and Distilling courses – historically strong enrollment levels for the program.

Recruitment and Industry Visibility

• Secured local funding in FY26 to hire a dedicated recruitment events point person to promote professional-technical programs, including Craft Brewing and Distilling.
• Featured in ThurstonTalk’s coverage of the Tumwater Craft District Market Building, highlighting SPSCC’s integration with the regional craft beverage community and its contributions to local economic development.