We’ve known for years that no region builds airplanes better than Washington state, and recent employment figures from Boeing seem to reflect that fact.
The number of Washingtonians on Boeing’s payroll is the highest it has been in over a decade. At the end of February, the company reported employing 82,325 workers across the state and has added nearly 9,000 workers since the end of 2010 alone.
The increased employment is largely due to the growing demand. Boeing plans to increase airline production at both the Renton and Everett plants. In addition to manufacturing jobs, development of new airliners, like the 737 Max, has led the company to hire more folks in the engineering field.
House Democrats have long-championed new investments, funding and reforms to foster growth and create jobs in the aerospace industry. The results of this public-private partnership include:
- Workforce development scholarships and grants worth millions to train aerospace workers
- New educational state facilities providing new resources to manufacturers and workers
- Aerospace training programs through state community and technical colleges
- Streamlined permitting processes for Boeing and its aerospace manufacturing partners
- Reforms at L&I and ESD, which reduced premium rates for workers’ comp and unemployment insurance
