King County WTD staff begins collaboration work with members of Kandelia and Villa Comunitaria.
It’s a typical damp and gray morning in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood, but the glum weather is no matter for Claudia Pineda, who’s hosting members of Kandelia and Villa Comunitaria, the local organizations who have been chosen to help shape the future of the King County’s clean water workforce.
The meeting marks a significant milestone as the beginning of a collaboration between King County Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) and the awardees of the Partners in Water grant program. The new program aims to address community needs while empowering the community-based organizations to help shape WTD’s programs, processes, and policies for the future.
“Our goals are to ensure that wastewater job opportunities are inclusive and accessible to all King County communities, and to help create a workforce that truly represents the diverse communities we serve.” – Claudia Pineda, Education and Engagement Program Lead for WTD.
To help achieve these goals, the two non-profit organizations selected as grantees will participate in the Career Pathways pilot project, one of the two initiatives under the Partners in Water grant program. These organizations will collaborate closely with WTD’s human resources team to raise awareness about the diverse career opportunities within the division.
“We’re excited for our HR team to deepen connections with our communities,” said Steve Namkung, the human resources manager at WTD. “Through this collaboration, we’ll not only increase awareness of public sector career opportunities but also highlight the purpose behind our work and the passion our employees bring to it.”
Kandelia and Villa Comunitaria have deep community roots and decades of experience working with communities throughout King County.
“Together, we hope to connect with job seekers who might not typically consider a career in wastewater and introduce them to the many great opportunities we have to offer,” Pineda said. “Our goals are to ensure that wastewater job opportunities are inclusive and accessible to all King County communities, and to help create a workforce that truly represents the diverse communities we serve.”
Combined, Kandelia and Villa Comunitaria bring over 60 years of experience working with historically under-represented communities.
Kandelia, formerly known as the Vietnamese Friendship Association, has supported immigrant and refugee families for over 40 years. Based out of the Seattle World School in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, it offers English classes, computer training, and job readiness training for high schoolers and their parents.
“This project will help our students, and their families, to see the treatment plants, understand the type of work being done, and envision themselves working for WTD,” said Tamthy Le, co-executive director at Kandelia. “We’ve taken field trips to the treatment plants before, and our students have always loved learning about different jobs in wastewater, and so we’re hoping this will help show them that it’s possible for them to work for WTD too.”
Villa Comunitaria, based out of Seattle’s South Park neighborhood, has over 20 years of experience aiding the Latine community with immigration, housing, health, education, legal systems, and career training opportunities.
“Everyone flushes, washes their hands, and creates wastewater, but we rarely stop to think about the jobs and professional opportunities that this essential sector offers,” said Maribel Pastor, community engagement manager at Villa Comunitaria. “We want our communities to learn about stable, well-paid career and training opportunities that the WTD offers and also work together to bring down barriers that have prevented underserved communities from accessing these types of jobs.”
In addition to the Career Pathways project, we are gearing up for another important initiative: the Community Partnerships in Infrastructure project. Set to begin later this year, this collaboration will involve Villa Comunitaria, Mother Africa, and Living Well Kent, who will work with WTD’s Community Services team to guide community partnerships in wastewater infrastructure projects. While still in the planning stages, this second initiative aims to build even stronger community connections and make sure everyone stays in the loop about wastewater management and the work WTD is doing in our communities.
With a bright outlook for what lies ahead, Pineda is confident that the work that has begun will not only build stronger connections with the community but also inspire a new generation of professionals to join WTD’s workforce and carry forward its mission. It’s a small step on a gray morning that promises to lead to a brighter future.
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