Title: An act relating to a graduate job placement pilot program.

Brief Description: Creating the office of student services.

Sponsors: Senators Kohl-Welles, Schmidt, Parlette, Brown and Jacobsen.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Labor, Commerce, Research & Development: 2/21/05.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, COMMERCE, RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Staff: Alison Mendiola (786-7483)

Background: The Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) supports workers during unemployment, tracks and analyzes labor market trends, and links businesses and job seekers to a wide range of employment services provided by the state's WorkSource system.

WorkSource is a joint venture of organizations dedicated to addressing Washington State's employment needs, including: business, labor, the ESD, Workforce Development Councils, Community and Technical Colleges, Department of Social and Health Services, the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Governor's Office. Partners at the local level include state partner agencies as well as non-profits and local government agencies.

The center for career services at the University of Washington (UW) and career services at Washington State University (WSU) provide employment and related career services to students at these universities.

Summary of Bill: A student services office is established as a pilot program in the ESD to coordinate job placement activities and resources for graduate and professional students at UW and WSU. The center for career services at UW and career services at WSU will each hire one full-time equivalent (FTE) to facilitate these career services.

The student services office will create an annual job placement survey for graduate and professional students at UW and WSU. The information from this survey will be used for internal purposes at the ESD, the UW, and WSU. Some information will be made public for the benefit of students and businesses.

The Student Services Advisory Board is created, consisting of a representative from the UW, WSU, and the Director of the Student Services Office. The board is to oversee the pilot project. By December 1, 2006, the Student Services Advisory Board will report to the appropriate committees of the Legislature on the impact of the pilot program on job placement services for graduate and professional students at the UW and WSU.

Funds for the pilot project will provide for four FTE's as follows: the Director of the Student Services Office at ESD, an employee at ESD to coordinate and implement the job placement survey, and one FTE each at the UW's and WSU's respective career services office.

This pilot project commences July 1, 2005, and sunsets on June 30, 2007.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 17, 2005.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Effective July 1, 2005, and expires June 30, 2007.