IF YOU’VE HEARD that the North Olympic Peninsula is receiving funding through the Recompete grant and aren’t quite sure what it means, you’re not alone. This is a huge opportunity for our region, and it’s worth understanding why.
The Recompete Pilot Program, created by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), is focused on re-engaging prime-age workers (ages 25-54) who are currently not in the labor force.
How were Clallam and Jefferson counties chosen?
The Recompete grant was the most competitive grant that the EDA has ever offered. More than 500 applications were submitted, which were narrowed down to 22 finalists, then only six recipients across the country.
The North Olympic Peninsula Recompete Coalition was one of the six award recipients. That’s a big deal and shows that our region has a bright future, with numerous community partners working together in the same direction.
Why does prime-age unemployment matter?
This metric accounts for individuals who have stopped looking for jobs and left the labor force, not just those who are currently unemployed. This is an indicator of persistent economic distress because it signifies barriers to employment such as lack of reliable transportation or childcare, a need for job skills training opportunities, and limited local career pathways.
Clallam and Jefferson counties fall about 8 percentage points below the national average of prime-age employment.
“Those 8 percentage points represent hundreds of individuals who could be part of our labor force but who, for various reasons, are not,” Clallam County Commissioner Mike French said about the issue.
“That’s hundreds of individuals who don’t get to experience economic security, who don’t get on a career path that pays off years in the future, who instead struggle to meet their basic needs, and all of this creates a cycle of generational poverty.”
The solution
So, what are the strategies? Is Recompete helping just anyone get into any kind of job? Not exactly.
For someone who has been disengaged from the workforce, it’s a big ask to push for something like a four-year degree leading into the medical field, for example. Instead, Recompete focuses on short pathways to success, like two-year degrees, certificate programs and on-the-job training.
The plan is also focused on existing industries that have a track record of providing high-wage jobs on the Peninsula — mainly maritime, natural resources and manufacturing. Recompete is investing in infrastructure and innovation that will create jobs within those industries.
That’s not to say there won’t be impacts across other industries or that Recompete will not be working to connect individuals to jobs in other fields. These are the focus because they have the largest potential to create career pathways into good jobs.
Why it matters
This isn’t about numbers; it’s about people. It’s about the 40-year-old parent in Forks who needs reliable transportation to get to work. It’s about the 26-year-old in Port Angeles who feels like it’s impossible to get into a high-wage benefitted career without additional qualifications. It’s about the business owner in Port Townsend struggling to retain qualified employees.
Why does this matter for everyone, even if you’re not looking for a job? Because when more people are working and earning a living wage, the whole community benefits. Families are more stable. Local businesses grow. And the North Olympic Peninsula becomes a more resilient and connected place to live for generations to come.
Stay informed
Visit www.recompetewa.org for more information and to sign up for the newsletter to receive updates.
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Carolyn Edge is the Recompete communications and media coordinator. She can be reached by email at carolyn.edge@recompetewa.org.