Top-Rated Education
Access a highly skilled and educated workforce, along with key industry connections through Tacoma’s eight higher educational institutions.
Tacoma's Center for Urban Waters
The Center for Urban Waters brings together environmental scientists, analysts, engineers and policymakers who are developing creative and sustainable solutions to restore and protect Puget Sound. The founding partners – the City of Tacoma, the University of Washington Tacoma and the Puget Sound Partnership – are committed to providing a collaborative environment where the best-available science forms the basis for policy development and implementation. The Center for Urban Waters is the result of years of work by community leaders who dreamed of a world-class research center on Commencement Bay dedicated to finding solutions for urban bay communities.
An Educated Workforce
Tacoma is home to several of the region’s top-rated universities and colleges, including the
University of Washington Tacoma, University of Puget Sound, Bates Technical College, Tacoma Community College, Evergreen State College Tacoma Campus and Pacific Lutheran University. With more than 55,000 students attending courses at local universities and colleges, you have plenty of talent to choose from, including trade workers, engineers, administrators, health professionals, and more.
Academics Shape Economic Growth
Local higher education institutions build their academic programs around Tacoma’s economy, so as certain industries grow, so do their relevant training courses. For example, University of Washington-Tacoma School of Engineering and Technology has developed some of the nation’s top cyber security experts and hosts regional and national cyber security events.
University of Washington Tacoma also offers job-ready programs in the following areas: finance and insurance, healthcare, education, business and professional services, and urban clean water technology. Undergraduate and graduate degree programs are available, as well as professional certificates.
Internship and Recruiting Opportunities
University of Washington Tacoma (UWT) offers competitive paid internship programs that help your company find and develop the right team. Every year, more than 150 students in computer science, IT, cybersecurity, and other technical areas seek internships and capstone project opportunities at local businesses.
Jobs 253, operated by the Tacoma Public Schools, matches high school students to jobs skills training and certifications as well as internships to insure a robust, qualified talent pipeline for area businesses.
Graduate Tacoma
Graduate Tacoma is a partnership movement of 268 community organizations that believe in the potential of every child, regardless of background. Tacoma Public Schools is the 3rd largest school district in Washington with 30 preschools, 35 elementary schools, 4 early learning centers, 11 middle schools, 5 comprehensive high schools, 5 non-traditional high schools, 19 innovative schools, and 13 technology-focused schools. This community-led effort is indicative of Tacoma’s collaborative spirt and has achieved one of the top public school graduation rates in the country, at greater than 89-percent.
Learn more about Tacoma's advantages: