$80,000 Median: Income Gain in Seattle Far Outpaces Other Cities

Seattle Times | Gene Balk | September 15

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/80000-median-wage-income-gain-in-seattle-far-outpaces-other-cities/

“If your household earns less than $80,000 per year, you’re now in the minority in Seattle. That stunning news came to light in data released Thursday by the Census Bureau. It shows that in 2015, Seattle’s median household income broke the $80,000 mark. How? By jumping nearly $10,000 in just one year.”

Seattle Area Jobless Rate Dips to 8-Year Low

Seattle Times | Janet Tu | September 15

http://www.seattletimes.com/business/economy/seattle-jobless-rate-dips-to-lowest-in-eight-years/

“After eight months of not budging, the state unemployment rate finally dipped ever so slightly in August, while the Greater Seattle area’s jobless rate dropped to its lowest level in eight years. The statewide jobless rate of 5.7 percent in August was down from 5.8 percent in July, though up from 5.6 percent in August 2015, according to preliminary, seasonally adjusted figures released Wednesday by the state Employment Security Department. That statewide figure remains stubbornly almost a point above the national unemployment rate, which was 4.9 percent in August, about where it’s hovered since last fall. The Seattle/Bellevue/Everett area’s unemployment rate, meanwhile, dropped to 4.1 percent in August, down from 4.4 percent in July and from 4.5 percent in August 2015.”

Tech Apprenticeship to Train 600 Workers for Seattle-Area Companies Including Microsoft, F5

Puget Sound Business Journal | Ashley Stewart | September 14

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/techflash/2016/09/tech-apprenticeship-to-train-600-workers.html

“The Washington Technology Industry Association is launching an apprenticeship program to train 600 job candidates – including at least 300 women, people of color and veterans – to fill roles at talent-starved technology companies including Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) and F5 Networks (Nasdaq: FFIV). Solving the technology industry’s talent shortage and lack of diversity requires investments throughout all levels of education. While bolstering computer science education in K-12 schools will help fix the problem long-term, Puget Sound-area technology companies need an immediate solution. More than 25,000 technology job openings in the state are unfilled for at least six months.”

Seattle City Council Expected to Add Municipal Broadband to Long-Term Master Plan

Geekwire | Monica Nickelsburg | September 14

http://www.geekwire.com/2016/seattle-city-council-expected-add-municipal-broadband-long-term-master-plan/

“Advocates of municipal broadband in Seattle are expected to win a small victory at Thursday’s City Council meeting. Councilmember Rob Johnson is planning to add an amendment to the Mayor’s Comprehensive Master Plan that puts municipal broadband — public internet regulated like a utility — into the city’s long-term growth plans. If it passes, the city will “add an affirmative commitment to study and potentially implement a municipal broadband system,” but the amendment does not include a concrete date or funding plan to implement the service. That’s significant because financing has been the biggest obstacle preventing Seattle from adopting municipal broadband.”

Thanks Amazon: Seattle’s Tech Office Market Second-Hottest in the U.S., Study Says

Geekwire | Nat Levy | September 12

http://www.geekwire.com/2016/thanks-amazon-seattles-tech-office-market-second-hottest-in-the-u-s-study-says/

“The Seattle area is the hottest tech office market in the U.S. outside of Silicon Valley, according to a new report ranking the nation’s top tech towns. Tech companies leased 2.5 million square feet in Seattle-Bellevue in the last year, trailing only Silicon Valley at 3.9 million square feet, according the report from real estate firm JLL. Homegrown companies like Amazon and Microsoft have carried the local office market for years, but Seattle’s growth as a tech powerhouse has been fueled in part by well-known tech brands from outside the area establishing engineering centers in the region — at least 80 companies so far. The office ranking is a part of a larger scorecard that takes into consideration cities’ resilience to difficult economic conditions, talent pool, economic momentum, innovation and cost of living/office space.”