News and Stories

Still Hiring | Northwest Asian Weekly

If you’ve walked through your neighborhood recently, you’ve probably noticed “Now Hiring” signs in shop windows. And while they may not have signs in their windows, large and mid-sized companies seem to be on the lookout for talent, too.

Like many institutions and businesses, Bellevue College has seen a higher employee turnover since the beginning of this year.

“The low unemployment rate has created a much more competitive environment for the recruitment and retention of employees,” said Nicole Beattie, the associate director of Communications at Bellevue College.

For some positions, it has become more difficult for the institute to hire.
“We don’t see the same kind of turnover for example with tenured faculty. However, it’s harder to retain some of our frontline service employees due to there being so much opportunity at the moment,” Beattie said.

“In terms of services, the quality hasn’t been impacted but during peak enrollment periods, students might find it takes a bit longer to get a response. We recognize that we need to find more efficiencies to keep workloads manageable,” she added.

As a state employer, Bellevue College is limited in terms of the perks it can offer.

“However, we do have hybrid/work-from-home positions and have adjusted our salary scale for our exempt positions,” Beattie said.

“We also offer great benefits with more vacation and sick days than most businesses, paid holidays, excellent medical coverage, and reduced tuition,” she added.

The organization is evaluating its approach to hiring by developing a variety of recruiting and outreach practices, including community partner engagement, in its effort to adapt their approach to building its talent pipelines based on changing market pressures.

Bellevue College has a Center for Career Connections that not only connects employers with current students and alumni, but also Bellevue residents who are actively seeking work.

“So, if you’re a local business looking to hire, make sure you reach out to colleges,” Beattie said.

More employers are reaching out to Bellevue College’s Center for Career Connections to recruit its students, and Beattie is also seeing an increase in flexible/hybrid opportunities.

“With regards to internships, small to mid-sized companies are proactively reaching out to us to recruit interns, particularly accounting firms,” Beattie said. “Employers who are out of state are even making their internships fully remote to attract more applicants. This is good news for our students as it creates more options for them.”

Another trend the Center for Career Connections has noticed is that players in the life sciences industry, such as Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, and Nanostring, are intentional about attracting diverse talent to the industry.

“They have internship programs with a focus to recruit minority, underserved, and students of color,” Beattie said.

Mimi Jung – Keynote Speaker at BC Commencement | Northwest Asian Weekly

Mimi Jung, Emmy award-winning morning anchor at KING 5, addressed graduates as the keynote speaker for Bellevue College (BC)’s commencement ceremonies at T-Mobile Park on June 24.

Jung was born and raised in Puyallup and attended Syracuse University, where she graduated with a broadcast journalism degree.

She shared at the in-person ceremony that “this little girl from Puyallup never imagined she’d be standing in a stadium in front of thousands, giving advice to college graduates.”

BC interim president Gary Locke said Jung is “renowned for her exceptional journalism and ability to convey insightful and powerful news stories.”

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You Didn’t Get Into the University of Washington’s Acclaimed Computer Science Program. Now What? | Geekwire

In 2016, Bellevue College received permission to become the first community college in the state to offer a bachelor’s degree in computer science. Five students signed up for the initial cohort. The college is now admitting 84 students a year spread over three quarters. Some of the state's other colleges are looking to follow Bellevue's lead and create similar programs. North Seattle College is launching its program in the fall of 2022.

Seattle’s History of Black language: African American English, Code-Switching and Why It Matters Today | Seattle Times

In the years following the abolishment of chattel slavery in the U.S., African American English presented itself proudly in Black expression, says Ron Holland, associate professor of English at Bellevue College. He pointed to movements like the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s and the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s as examples of the impact of Black language.

“The vernacular presented itself in music, in poetry, in literature, in speeches, in sermons,” Holland said. “Even to this day, we are descendants of that vernacular.”

Amazon Workers Can Now Attend These 180 Colleges for Free | Fortune

Amazon is adding partnerships with more than 140 colleges and universities to provide a cost-free college education to its hourly employees—bringing the number of schools Amazonians can attend debt-free to 180. Bellevue College is one of these institutions.

Amazon, the second-largest U.S.-based retailer, also unveiled that the program will now be available to employees who have been with the company for just 90 days.

Bellevue College Launches New AI-Focused Bachelor’s Degree | 425 Business

Bellevue College is responding to industry need for more graduates trained in artificial intelligence (AI) by offering a new degree next fall — a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) with a concentration in AI.

“Advisory committee members, including those that work at Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook, have recommended adding an AI concentration, and are excited about this new addition to the curriculum,” Alysa Kelsey, program manager for the college’s information technology programs, said in a news release.

EdReformer announces the Best Interior Design Schools in the US | Digital Journal

EdReformer has curated a list of some of the best institutes in the US that offer degrees in the field of Interior Design. Studying at these colleges, students can successfully land a job that will pay them handsomely. Bellevue College is ranked #2 in the nation.

Gary Locke Keynotes Anti-Hate Summit | Northwest Asian Weekly

"The first Asian governor of Washington state and Bellevue College's interim president gave the keynote speech on Oct. 18 at the Eradicate Hate Global Summit, a virtual conference dedicated to “honor the global victims of hate by breaking down silos, exchanging ideas, and engaging in prioritized actions against hate.” In his speech, Locke discussed the importance of fighting hate after the history of anti-Asian sentiment in the U.S. and his own experience overcoming hate as an Asian American."

Public Invited to Help Shape Bellevue College Priorities | 425

Two virtual town halls are set this week to gather community input on the future of Bellevue College as part of the Priorities Project, an initiative launched by the college’s board of trustees to identify the priorities and values that will guide the college through the next three to five years.

The project will help the college focus on what’s most important to the campus as well as the greater Bellevue community, according to a news release. Additionally, the project will explore criteria to identify the best candidates in the upcoming search for a permanent president at the college.

Town halls will occur via Zoom at 7 p.m. Tuesday and 10 a.m. Friday.

Bellevue’s Tech Economy Growing, but Growth is Not Without Challenges | 425 Business

"Supporting the workforce development pipeline between employers, Bellevue College, the University of Washington, and coding schools is vital, as is training and retraining adults.."