II. About the Airport Jobs Center

In January 2000, Airport Jobs opened its doors to visitors who were looking for airport-related jobs or wanted to know more about airport-related careers. The purpose of the Center is to link residents from low-income communities who are looking for jobs with employers that have employment opportunities. The Center is part of the Office of Port Jobs, which creates living wage job opportunities in the port economy for disadvantaged populations.

Text Box:
Figure 1 Although the Center is run by only three full-time staff members (two Port Jobs, and one Washington State Employment Security), with several hours a week of additional help (King County Jobs Initiative and interns), it offers a broad range of services to very large number of job seekers. The Center’s services include job vacancy lists (hardcopy and online), job descriptions, assistance with job applications and resumes/cover letters, on-site interviews with Airport employers, referrals to community resources, as well as job fairs. Center staff refer visitors to social service agencies and nonprofits when needed (e.g., to assist with transportation, housing, child care or other supportive services), but the Center’s profile is based on linkages to job opportunities.

Interest in the Center’s employment services has been great. On average, Center staff assisted 649 job seekers per month in 2000 and January of 2001. Of this group, an average of 293 job seekers per month (45%) visited the Center for the first time. As Figure 1 shows, there has been consistently high interest in the Center’s services during 2000. The number of job seekers who visit the Center in 2001 is likely to exceed monthly 2000 levels since more people know about Airport Jobs and word-of-mouth is spreading fast. The fact that job seekers visited the Center a record 1,206 times in January 2001 potentially points to this trend (Figure 1). As Figure 2 in the appendix shows, two-thirds of all first-time visitors live within a 10-mile radius of the airport. 90% live within a 20-mile radius, 96 live within 30 miles of the airport, and the remaining 4% live in areas beyond that. These findings indicate that at least a third of all Center visitors would have long commutes (often without car access) if they were hired at the airport.

Many job seekers who turn to the Center are English learners, i.e. people whose native language is something other than English. This presents new communication challenges for Center staff since a broad range of language groups is represented, including African, Asian, and Eastern European languages.

III. Methodology

To track the performance of Airport Jobs after its first year of operation, a phone survey was conducted. The survey was designed to obtain feedback from job seekers who used the Airport Jobs employment center at Sea-Tac airport during 2000 and who were hired after visiting the Center. In addition, the survey sought to provide more information about the jobs people found as a result of their Center visit, and to follow up on their current employment status and situation. The 15-minute survey was conducted by phone during several mornings, afternoons and evenings from January to March 2001. It consisted of about 40 closed-ended and open questions about the Center’s services and staff, the respondent’s airport job(s), career advancement opportunities, job turn-over, and demographics (see appendix). All respondents were promised confidentiality.

Airport Jobs drew a random sample of 98 job seekers from a total of 320 who visited the Airport Jobs Center between January 24 and November 20, 2000 and were subsequently hired. The contact list used for the phone interviews contained phone numbers and language information about these 98 people who visited the Center from February to November 2000. Since the average time between the Center visit of a respondent and the time of the phone interview is only 6 months (ranging from 2-10 months on the job), not enough time has passed to determine longer-term trends of job tenure, wage increases or career advancement.

Of the 98 contact persons, 33 interviews (34%) were completed, including ten with people who speak at least one foreign language, and three people who did not want to answer survey questions but mentioned a few things about the Airport Jobs Center or their airport jobs. Besides English, the ten foreign-language respondents also spoke Tagalog, Amharic, German, Japanese, Spanish, Samoan, Punjabi, and Hindi. 30 (31%) were unreachable because of disconnected or wrong numbers. This fact points to high mobility among airport employees. Of these disconnected or wrong phone numbers, 9 were numbers of people who listed at least one foreign language. Eleven people refused to answer the survey. The refusals seemed to be related to the fact that people did not have time, did not want to be interrupted in their private lives, or were generally suspicious about sharing any sensitive information with a stranger. As is generally the case with surveys, respondents felt most uncomfortable with answering demographic questions about age, race, and education, as well as income-related questions. One respondent was very dissatisfied about airport job conditions, independently of the Center. She refused to participate in the survey but highlighted the problems of low wages and high transportation costs (she was commuting from Lakewood) that characterize many airport jobs. It does appear that the people who were most open to answering the survey questions and minded the interruption the least were people who are happy with their airport-related employment. Because of this fact and because the survey contact list only included Center visitors who were subsequently hired, the survey probably over-represents the group of Center visitors who are most successful at finding jobs, holding them, and advancing in them.

To reach as many respondents as possible, the phone survey was conducted in the morning, afternoon, and evening. It took up to 4-5 attempts to reach many respondents. The morning calls, starting at 10:30am, targeted respondents who worked in the afternoon and evening or who currently did not work. They were also used to identify disconnected and wrong numbers. The afternoon calls, starting at about 1pm, were designed to target respondents who are at home in the afternoon because they are not working, in school, or work night shifts. The evening calls, starting at about 5pm, were to reach people after they come home from work. It took several attempts to reach most respondents.

Of the 30 respondents who completed the phone survey, exactly half are male and Text Box:
Figure 3 half female. The majority of respondents (60%) are people of color, including 8 Asian-Americans, 6 African-Americans, and 4 respondents who classify themselves as of another race. 40% of respondents are white. This distribution is almost identical with the ethnic backgrounds of all Center visitors that the sample was drawn from: 60% are people of color (including 26% Asian/Pacific Islander, 20% African-American, and 13% Hispanic and Other), and 40% are white. The average age of the respondents is 34 years (this average is almost identical to the average year of all visitors who were hired). The youngest respondent is 15 while the oldest respondent is 68. Almost 60% of all respondents had some college experience or a college degree (the remaining 40% of respondents had some high school experience or a high school degree). Since only 41% of all visitors that the sample was drawn from have some college experience, college-experienced job seekers, are slightly over-represented in the current results. Respondents started the jobs they found out about as a result of their Center visit throughout the year 2000 (Figure 3). The peaks in May, June, and July include respondents who started working in summer jobs (4) and seasonal jobs (2). As Figure 4 in the appendix shows, most respondents (18) live within 10 miles of the airport. An additional 7 respondents live within 20 miles of the airport, and all respondents with a zip code (29) live within a 30-mile radius.

IV. The Results

Job Seekers and the Center

How do job seekers find out about the Airport Jobs Center? As Figure 5 illustrates, the largest number of respondents (10) find out about the Center through friends and relatives (cousin, father, and husband). This finding confirms what respondents mentioned in response to the recommendations question: Word-of-mouth seems to be the main way that job seekers find out about the Center and that they let others know about it. If this is true, then the number of job seekers who utilize the Center’s services is likely to increase in the future as informally shared recommendations about the Center become more widespread.

Text Box:
Figure 5 The second most common place to find out about the Airport Jobs Center is the airport. Often, job seekers learn about the Center through jobs they have at the airport or someone they know at the airport. The Center’s job fair is the next frequently used way of finding out about the Center’s services. Other ways that respondents found out about the Center was through the Center’s web page or the newspaper. Only one respondent was referred to the Center through an employment agency, and another respondent was referred through the career center of Renton Technical College.

As perhaps expected, the vast majority of job seekers visit the Center because they are looking for work (except for one visitor who was just perusing). Almost three quarters of job seekers were unemployed at the time they visited the Center. While learning about airport careers is a primary objective to some (9 respondents out of 30), other respondents (5) who already work at the airport or whose relatives work at the airport already have some prior knowledge of airport-related jobs when they visit the Center.

What Works

People who were hired at the airport after they visited the Airport Jobs Employment information Center praised the Center’s services and staff. This finding is remarkable given the large numbers of visitors that the small number of Center staff assist. On average, each of the Center’s 3 full-time staff members serve 216 visitors per month, with the assistance of student interns and one part-time staff member. What is surprising is the unanimous enthusiasm that the Center generates across lines of gender, ethnic and language backgrounds, and age. Without exception, all respondents confirmed that they received adequate staff support. They found services and staff very helpful, friendly, and professional, felt like they were getting personal assistance, that staff members had a good intuitive sense of what they were looking for, and that Center staff made them feel comfortable. People’s evaluations of the Center were often quite emotional in the sense that they felt strongly about the Center and were excited about the assistance that staff members provided them with. For instance, one respondent noted that she would like to thank the staff member (Ted) who assisted her.

The main draw of the Center is that it goes beyond offering general information about jobs and provides visitors with a direct linkage to employment at the airport. The three services that respondents used most frequently were the hot list (weekly list of open jobs), job applications, and job descriptions. The least utilized services include the use of onsite equipment for resume/cover letters, information on training and education programs, and the 10-year practice workbook. Two-thirds benefited from an application review for completeness, and 60% of the respondents received help with their applications. Every second respondent obtained an open interview schedule from the Center, and less than half received parking validation, or attended a job fair. Of the respondents who used any of these services, all respondents rated them as either very helpful or helpful (with one exception for average helpfulness of job descriptions). Because many respondents chose one category of helpfulness (either very helpful or helpful) to evaluate all the services they used, averaging these two ratings per service category would be less meaningful than stating that job seekers are either satisfied or very satisfied with the services Airport Jobs offers. Many respondents mentioned that they had such a good experience at the Center that they frequently recommend it to others. Examples that confirm respondents’ enthusiasm about the Center include: “Outstanding center.” “Very helpful center. Very professional. No complaints.” “Center staff is really helpful.” “The Center is very very good. Very helpful.” Very helpful and friendly. The staff showed genuine interest. I went in several times. Staff asked how I was doing after I took the job.” “Excellent staff.” “They were nice and helpful and took me by the hand (as a high school student, I didn't know my way around).” “Everything was good and complete. I liked that the center centralized employers and information so you don't have to go to each company separately for jobs and job interviews.”

Text Box: “ I have no recommendations for improvement. I like that the center consolidates different employers. I am now in Denver, CO and wish they had a similar center there.”

25-year-old male respondent All respondents were either very satisfied (17) or somewhat satisfied (5) with the Center’s location, office hours, and web page access.

What Could Be Improved

Given the positive experience all respondents had with the center, the main complaint is not that the center’s services and staff should be improved but that there should be expanded access to these services. For instance, respondents note that the Center’s opening hours should be expanded to the weekend and its services should be more visible. Not enough people who are looking for jobs know about the Center, the Center would be easier to find if there were more signs, more easily accessible directions to give to friends relatives and acquaintances would be appreciated, and the Center’s range of services could be advertised to more people. Several respondents suggested that seasonal jobs (e.g. on cruise lines or with airlines) be more directly advertised to students and retired persons. Both groups are often interested but not necessarily aware of such employment opportunities.

Many respondents were surprised about the list of services that they were asked to evaluate in question 2A (see appendix) because they did not realize that all these services were available at the Center. One respondent noted that there should be a sign at the Center in several languages (including African languages) that informs visitors about the availability of free parking validations. The importance of word-of-mouth communication in accessing Center services mentioned above reflects the fact that many respondents viewed the Center as an insider’s tip.

A few respondents mentioned that a bigger space for the Center and the job fairs would be nice because they felt crowded. Another recommendation was to open the Center on the weekend to make it easier for job seekers who are currently employed or going to school and cannot visit the Center during the week. Further, two respondents suggested that it would be great if applicants could find out whether jobs they applied for were filled by someone else or whether their application just took long to process. For instance, maybe previously advertised jobs could be marked as filled on the Airport Jobs website when employers selected their candidates. Alternatively, employers or the Center might be able to inform applicants at the time of application about the expected time by which they select an employee.

Three respondents commented that the only improvement they recommend is a broader range of job opportunities. For instance, clerical jobs that fit with a college schedule and full-time (40-hour) jobs were listed as hard to find through the Center. Other respondents could not find job descriptions for certain jobs they were interested in or found the existing descriptions not specific enough.

Although about half of all respondents cannot think of anything that would help them be more successful at their job, the key concern of the remaining respondents is extended job training and technical knowledge in airport-related jobs, including computer classes (e.g., in MS Word and to increase typing speed and accuracy). Several respondents mentioned that they would be more likely to move beyond entry-level positions if they could enroll in training courses where they can acquire skills that are required for higher-level airport jobs.

The Jobs

Survey respondents paint a multi-faceted picture of what airport jobs are like. While some employees explain how the low wages, lack of benefits, high transportation and housing costs, and safety concerns related to night hours create very difficult living conditions for them, others love their airport jobs, would like to stay with them as long as possible, and face employment conditions that are adequate. This section provides an overview of the jobs that respondents go to at the airport and beyond.

Twenty-six out of 30 respondents got job interviews as a result of utilizing the Center’s services. More than three quarters of all respondents (23 out of 30) found jobs as a result of their center visit. Seven respondents did not find jobs as a result of their Center visit. This is because they did not get a job offer, they ended up getting a better job offer based on an application they submitted independently, or because the job they were offered did not turn out to match their interest, or because of personal reasons (e.g., one respondent’s husband started to require full-time home care immediately after the respondent’s first job interview, so she stopped her job search until her husband’s health improves).

At the time of the interview, more than two thirds of respondents (21) were working and less than a third (9) were not. Of the 21 currently employed respondents, eleven respondents were still working in the same job, and had not received a wage increase since they visited the Center. This is not surprising since, as mentioned earlier, an average of only six months passed between when respondents visited the Center and when they were interviewed. Of the remaining ten currently employed respondents, five took another job (Table 1) and one was promoted within the same company (Table 1). The other four currently working respondents ended up taking initial jobs they applied for independently of their Center visit.

Of the 9 respondents who were not working, four were unemployed and looking for jobs (one of them is in college and has difficulty finding a job with health insurance that fits his college schedule). Three respondents quit their jobs and are taking time off (new baby and health were two reasons), and two respondents are not working because of school (high school and full-time college enrollment). The two reasons that emerged from the phone interviews of why respondents leave their jobs without finding new employment are young children and health problems of their own or their relatives that they need to attend to full-time.

All but four of the 30 respondents handed in all of the applications they received at the Center. One respondent explained why she did not submit all applications: “Several applications required a new background check although I just did it. I was upset because I just did the 10-year background check and was then forced to do it again. This data should be transferred. The company that did the background check did not do a good job: Their Text Box: “Several applications required a new background check although I just did it. I was upset because I just did the 10-year background check and was then forced to do it again. This data should be transferred. The company that did the background check did not do a good job: Their work needs improvement/their staff needs more training.”

40-year-old female respondent work needs improvement/their staff needs more training.” At least five respondents who handed in multiple job applications received several job interviews and/or offers as a result. One respondent was offered a job but could not take it because he would have had to go to Texas for a 1.5-week training and could not go because of his baby.

More than two-thirds of all respondents started their jobs either the same month or one month after they visited Airport Jobs. The three remaining respondents for whom these data are available started their jobs 2-4 months after visiting the Center.

The companies respondents worked for include Worldwide Shore Services (3), Ogden Aviation, Hilton Marriott, Horizon Airways (2), Benjamin Books, Port of Seattle, ICTS (3), Genesis, HMS Host (5) - Starbucks, USF Worldfreight, Warrens Gift Shop, Cruise line, Delta, and Shuttle Express. Job titles include Manifesting Coordinator, Rep Agent, Loader (Running Store), -Passenger Service, Agent, Sales Associate, On-call Tour Guide, Security, Loader at Boeing airport, Barista (4), Receptionist, Cashier, Pre-Board Screener (for Am. Airlines, Horizon, Alaska Air), Onshore Director, Summer internship: ticket counter, Customer Service, Customer Service Rep. (meets passengers and helps them), Special Services (pushes wheel chairs), Warehouse – Merchandise, Driver, Ground Agent, Food Preparation. Companies that employees switched to or worked for independently of visiting the Center include ICTS, Alaska Airlines, Pierce Transit Tacoma, WA Employer, Bartell Drugs, Point Leaf Services, Worldwide Shore Services, Burns International (mother company of Globe Aviation, which lost their SeaTac contract), HMS Host, and Bank of America. Respondents in these companies held the following job titles: Special Services, General Field Agent, Transit Operator, Receptionist, Cashier, Residential Manager, Reservations Agent, Administrative Specialist, Hardware/Utility Worker, and Associate in Warehouse Department.

Of everyone who answered the question about hours worked per week, two-thirds work full-time (40 hours per week) compared to a third who work part-time (7 to 37.5 hours per week). Of the nine respondents who switched jobs or who took jobs independently of their Center visit, six worked full-time (at least 40 hours) while the other two worked part-time (28 and 32 hours per week).

The average hourly wage that respondents earn in the jobs they obtained with the help of the Center is $8.05 per hour (this wage is close to the average wage of all hired visitors, which is $8.40). The lowest respondent wage is $6.50 per hour compared to the highest wage of $13.57 per hour. With one small exception, the six respondents who switched jobs during 2000 earned more in their second job than they earned before, as Table 1 shows. On average, they earned $2.64 per hour more than before. All but one of the jobs that employees moved to have benefits, which means that three respondents gained benefits, two maintained benefits and one employee remained without benefits in both jobs (Table 1).

Half of all respondents started working in jobs without benefits. The other half indicates that the jobs came with benefits. Most commonly available benefits are medical insurance (10), retirement (2), and paid vacations (3). Some jobs have no benefits because they are seasonal, like cruise ship positions or summer internships. Other jobs simply come without benefits. One respondent explained that he had to quit his job, which he was able to secure after visiting the Center, because the employer promised health insurance during the interview but never actually ended up providing any health insurance. Once he started working, he was unable to continue working without health insurance because of a back problem. For others, like insured retired persons and students insured through their parents, the availability of health care plans (especially plans that are less attractive than what they have) is not important. Less than a third of all respondents (7 out of 24 responses in this category) hold unionized jobs at the airport.

The jobs that respondents held within the last 12 months prior to the employment they reported in the survey include: shuttle bus driver and security checking, Marriott, Dept. of Commerce, Jackson Hewlitt, All American Cruiselines, Temp. Services, office work, collector, salesman, QFC (grocery store), grocery store, Globe Aviation (Human Resources); Gate Gourmet, head teacher at Kindergarten/ Learning Center, fast food restaurant; school bus driver.

Asked about whether there are barriers to career advancement in their company, valid responses are split almost in half: 12 people see no barriers to promotion while 13 employees see no advancement opportunities in the company they work for. Barriers include (in the order of frequency): no advancement opportunities, no job openings, need to build job skills, need for more education, no information about opportunities (as one person noted: “The manager keeps this information to himself.”), prohibitive transportation costs to a better job a respondent was offered, and union politics. One respondent complained that her company promotes employees internally but employees have to wait for 6 months before they can apply for higher positions (in contrast to the public), which she thought was unfair. A lack of job experience in the US is a concern for many new immigrants. One respondent in this group explained that, after visiting the Airport Jobs Center, she decided to first take another job outside of the airport to get experience, and then go back to the airport because she likes the work environment. Finally, a retired respondent who took a part-time job pushing wheel chairs at the airport notes that jobs like this are not chosen as careers where advancement is the goal. He commented: "The way I look at it, they pay me to exercise."

Text Box: “I received gifts and thank you cards for my work on the cruise line. I was selected as a Manager of Employees on a ship and then trained new employees.”

19-year old female respondent All respondents identified their job performance as either excellent (21) or good (8), which probably at least partially reflects the biases of self-assessments. On the other hand, some respondents gave credible explanations of why their work performance was excellent. For instance, a 19-year-old respondent noted: “I received gifts and thank you cards for my work on the cruise line. I was selected as a Manager of Employees on a ship and then trained new employees.”

The answers to the question of how long most people stay in the company indicate that airport jobs are characterized by an equal distribution (10) of employees with high turnover (half a year or less) and medium turnover (half a year to several years), with fewer companies (5) experiencing minimum turnover (over 10 years). Most respondents had difficulty answering the question about turnover because they note that there are at least two groups of employees within their company: some positions have high turnover while others are characterized by medium or minimum turnover. Responses to the question of how long the respondents themselves expect to stay with their current company reflect long-term employment plans: The majority of currently employed respondents (15 out of 21) plan to stay with their current employer for at least several years (6 respondents) or as long as possible (9 respondents), compared to only 4 out of 21 respondents who plan to stay for less than half a year or who are currently on the job market (2 respondents don’t know how long they will stay with their current employer). Respondents who are satisfied with their jobs mention that job hours or accessibility by bus are convenient. For instance, one respondent liked working at 5:30am, so she could spend time with her baby in the afternoon while another respondent liked that she had easy access to her kids by bus from the airport. Others enjoy the airport’s international atmosphere or their company’s commitment to diversity in terms of age, ethnicity, weight, and national origin.

What are the problems with some airport jobs? Low wages, no benefits, high transportation costs for long commutes, personal problems with the manager, physical and other stress, as well as high turnover are some of the complaints respondents have about their jobs at Sea-Tac Airport. For instance, one respondent quit the job she obtained with the help of the Center “because it wasn’t worth it” both in terms of hours and pay. She lives in Lakewood and it was too expensive for transportation ($7.50) compared to the low pay. She worked from 10:00-5:30 and from 1:00-7:00. Another respondent quit her job because she hated working at the company: “They were incredibly rude to me and yelled at me for things I didn't do. I almost got raped on my way to work at 5am - the manager's response was: if you have a problem with the hours, you shouldn't have taken the job.” She is currently in college, studying to become a pharmacist. A third respondent illustrates the problems with his job and his situation: “The $8 wage is too low to cover living expenses. There is no good medical insurance with the job: coverage is voluntary and up to the worker. Transportation is a big problem because I can't afford a car at the wage I’m paid. … I graduated from college in the Philippines and am currently looking for a better job ($10/hour and up) but can't afford the rent in the areas where there are better jobs (such as Bellevue).”

V. Conclusion

The most important survey result is that the Airport Jobs Employment Information Center provides an exceptional array of needed services to job seekers in the Seattle area. The fact that an average of 649 first-time and returning job seekers visit the Center every month illustrates the tremendous popularity of the Center. Further, these numbers point to an amazing accomplishment by Center staff since only three full-time staff members with part-time and intern help are serving these large numbers of job seekers. The fact that all respondents had very positive things to say about the Center’s staff despite the overwhelming demand confirms the significance of this accomplishment.

What makes the Airport Jobs Center so attractive to visitors, according to the survey respondents, is the centralized and direct linkage to real jobs. New immigrants, students, and retired persons use these low-wage jobs to gain job experience and initial entry (or re-entry) into the job market, make extra money, and be integrated in society at large. This access to a variety of real jobs, is one of the key components that distinguishes the Airport Jobs Center’s enormous traffic from other, often under-enrolled, local employment programs.

The Airport Jobs Center is a vital part of workforce development for new immigrants as evidenced by the high number of Center visitors in this group. Many English learners are likely to require more assistance than the Center is able to provide. An expansion of existing cooperative efforts like the intermittent presence of interpreters of the International Rescue Committee at the Center, and the development of new, similar linkages (e.g., to organizations like International Counseling Services, Refugee Women’s Alliance, the Community Service Organizations with interpreters, World Relief Refugee Federation, El Centro de la Raza, and Mutual Assistance Associations) may help address the needs of the growing number English learners who frequent the Center.

The main recommendation respondents have is to increase the Center’s visibility at the airport and expand opening times so that even more job seekers can benefit from the Center’s services. It should be noted that Sea-Tac Airport recently addressed the first concern by adding more signs at the airport that direct visitors to the Center. The high visitor numbers point to the need for additional full-time staff members who could assist job seekers during the week and on weekends. Several respondents expressed interest in technical training opportunities that would improve their chances of moving to higher-level employment at the airport. Finally, it might be worth exploring why only one of the respondents was referred to the Center through an employment agency, and to possibly reexamine the relationship with these agencies if a lack of integration exists.

The good news is that almost all of the respondents were still employed or in school at the time of the interview and most of those who switched jobs moved to higher wages and benefits. Since airport jobs include different skill levels, wages, benefit categories, and rates of turnover, respondents varied in their evaluations of their employment conditions. Some respondents are happy in their jobs and would like to keep their jobs as long as possible. Other respondents, who work in jobs with low wages and no benefits, are concerned about overwhelming transportation, housing, and medical costs. In addition, safety on the way to and from work and child care during different work shifts is an issue for employees who work during the night and in the early morning.

The data that are collected about Center visitors provide a valuable foundation for tracking the number of visitors served, the location job seekers commute from, the types of services they need, and the characteristics of their jobs. The survey data that are the basis for this report supplement these data well because the survey allows respondents to evaluate the Center’s performance and include recommendations for improvements. As the Center grows older, more cumulative data will be available to assess long-term trends. For instance, this study suggests that a further review of the employment paths that people pursue may be worth studying. This information would be useful to prospective job applicants and could provide employers with insight into the reasons why employees stay in a company, why they are promoted, or why they leave a company.

VI. Appendix

Airport Jobs Interview Tool – 11/29/00

Hello. We are conducting a brief follow-up of people who have used the Airport Jobs employment information center at Sea-Tac airport. We need your help to improve our program. Your responses will be confidential.

Services Received

1A.       Our records show that you received Airport Jobs services on (prompt for date). Is that accurate? (Circle yes or no)
30            Yes      (If yes, go to 1B)
0             No        (If no, ask, Have you used Airport Jobs employment information services in the past year? If still no, skip to 3E)

1B. At the time you used the employment information center were you…

8 Employed
22 Unemployed

1C. Why did you go to the Airport Jobs employment center? Were you…
                                                                                          Yes                  No
Looking for work                                                                   29                     1
Not looking for work (just perusing)                                        1                    29
Interested in learning about airport careers                             9                    21
Other:

-He previously worked at the Denver airport and was therefore familiar with airport-related jobs.

-Looking for better job.

-She was already working at the airport and looking for a part-time job.

-To move from his part-time job to a full-time job.

1D.       There are a number of ways people learn about the Airport Jobs Program. For each of the following, please let me know if you were referred to us by them.
                                                                                        Y                      N
Came to the Airport and was told about the Center               8                      22
The first is, were you referred by a friend?                            8                      22
Newspaper                                                                        5                      25
Job Fair                                                                            7                      23
Service Provider _____       (Prompt for name: __________no responses___)
Airport Jobs                                                                      1                      29
Web Page _____                                                               6                      24
Other:

--His cousin gave him a booklet with job openings (job info) from Airport Jobs.

--Father works at airport and told her about the center.

--Unemployment office referred her to Airport jobs Office because she speaks 3 languages: English, German, and Amharic.

--Her husband worked at the airport and told her about the center.

--He went to Renton College, which had a desk with a big sign: Airport Jobs Center

--After job Fair, AJ Center sent her brochures

--A co-worker of her husband knew about the center.

--Her friend told her about the center and said that they had more open positions than they can fill.

--Word of mouth

2A. What types of information and help did you receive?

List of Services Did you:	Was this information helpful (circle the most appropriate response).
List of Services Did you:	1 (Highest)	2	3	4	5 (Lowest)	N/A
Obtain a Hot List (weekly list of open jobs)	20	6				4
Obtain job descriptions for specific jobs	19	7	1			3
Obtain applications for specific jobs	20	8				2
Obtain an open interview schedule for specific jobs	9	7				14
Obtain a 10-year practice workbook (focused on job history)	3	4				23
Receive help completing 10-year practice workbook (focused on job history)	1	4				25
Receive help completing applications	14	4				12
Receive an application review for completeness	15	5				10
Use on-site equipment to create/edit resume or cover letter	3	2				25
Receive a referral to a community service		1				29
Meet with an employer at the Airport Jobs office	9	3				18
Receive information on training or education programs	4	2				24
Attend a Job Fair	6	3				21
Receive parking validation	10	2				18

2B. What recommendations do you have for making the information and/or services you received more helpful?

--No recommendations for improvement. He likes that the center consolidates different employers. He is now in Denver, CO and wishes they had a similar center there.

--No recommendations. People were helpful.

--He could not find any clerical jobs or any jobs that fit with his college schedule.

--Great place. Staff was empathetic and had a sense what different people need. She couldn't get descriptions for al jobs. Better overview of all services: she was surprised about the list of services. Better marketing needed: more signs and better description of how to get to center (she refers people but it's hard to find).

--Very helpful: one-stop shopping place with various employers, up-to-date, current website. She recommends center to others. Should be open on weekends.

--Great help. Be open later hours.

--Outstanding center.

--Very helpful center. Very professional. No complaints. He recommends center to others.

--Everything worked fine except there were no full-time jobs (40h jobs).

--Everything was ok. Center should be open on the weekend.

--Everything was pretty good.

--Center is really good.

--Everything was fine. The center staff made her feel comfortable, gave her a job list and matching applications. Center is hard to find: put signs up.

--Everything was ok.

--Center staff really helpful. Need more room to fill out the applications, it's too crowded.

--Everything was fine.

--She only went to the center once and got her current airport job independently.

--Job fair was great but should be in bigger area.

--The center is great - she liked it. It would be helpful if employers would let applicants know what happened with their applications: she handed in an application 3 months ago and doesn't know whether processing time is just long or whether she didn't get the job.

--Center is very very good. Very helpful. Offer more job fairs. Inform people. Better signs and marketing. People don't know about parking validation (put info about it up in different languages, incl. African languages).

--Everything was ok.

--People were helpful at the center.

--Everybody was very nice, very helpful, and very professional. Staff approached him as soon as he walked in the door.

--The center was helpful - no recommendations for improvement.

--The center was very good - no recommendations for improvement.

--Everything was good and complete. She liked that the center centralized employers and information so you don't have to go to each company separately for jobs and job interviews.

--Be open on weekends.

--No recommendations. He got an interview at the job fair.

--They did a good job (he really liked one guy in particular). He picked up applications with employers' email addresses and emailed them about the jobs.

--No recommendations.

--The center was good. They gave him all the information he asked for. The only recommendation for improvement he has is that they add application status to their services (e.g., website). He never got called back and ended up taking another job. He would have liked to know what happened to his applications.

2C. (Ask if applicable) Did you turn in all the application(s) you obtained? (If not, please explain; prompt for how many applications, reasons for turning/not turning in).

ANSWERS:

--Yes (26)

--No. There were no jobs that matched.

--Most of them (all that matched his interests).

--No. Several applications were too restrictive, e.g. re. the background check. She was annoyed because she just did the 10-year background check and was then forced to do it again. Data should be transferred. Background check company did not do a good job: their work needs improvement/more training.

--Yes. She handed in most applications and got most jobs.

--Center didn’t have job she wanted but she got a job as janitor, which does not pay enough.

-No. Only some were suitable for summer jobs.

2D. Were the services easy to access? (Prompt for satisfaction with location, office hours, office configuration, ability to use web page easily, whether the person would have visited even if parking validation weren’t available).

Very Satisfied 23
Somewhat Satisfied 7
Somewhat Dissatisfied 0
Very Dissatisfied 0

2E. Did you receive adequate staff support? Yes 30 No 0 Not Applicable 0

Please explain:

--Very helpful and friendly. Staff showed genuine interest. Went in several times. Staff asked how he was doing after he took the job.

--Excellent staff.

--She would like to thank Ted.

--They were nice and helpful and took him by the hand (he didn't know his way around).

--She (the staff member) was very nice and very professional.

3A.    Did the services you received help you to get a job interview?
Yes 26   (Go to 3B)
No      4 (Go to 3E)

--None of the jobs were what he was looking for.

--Seasonal job from April to October.

--The job she ended up taking she organized independently.

--He received too many job offers.

--As a result of handing in the applications, he got offers from 2-3 companies. He took the 1st offer after a training and exam: they gave him a badge.

--She got two job interviews and took one of the jobs.

--She got the job she has now because her sister works at the airport, talked to the manager and got her the job.

--It turned out the job wasn't right so she withdrew. Was working with Globe Aviation (Human Resources) at the time.

--He got calls about two job interviews and took a job after the first interview.

--Got job interview with Horizon to work at boarding flight ticket counter out of state - they never called back.

--Interview with Starbucks (took the job).

--She is new in the US and has no experience in the US: She decided to first take another job outside of the airport to get experience, then go back to the airport.

--Interview with HMS Host

--He got a part-time job as a driver for Shuttle Express.

--He got an interview with SW Airlines and was offered a job but could not take it because he would have had to go to Texas for a 1.5 week training and could not go because of his baby.

3B.       Did the services you received help you to get a job?
Yes 23    (Go to 3C)
No      6    (Go to 3E)

3C. If yes, please describe the job you entered.

Start Date: _________________________________

Company: Worldwide Shore Services (3), Ogden Aviation, Hilton Marriott, Horizon Airways (2), Benjamin Books, Port of Seattle, ICTS (3), Genesis, HMS Host (5) - Starbucks, USF Worldfreight, Warrens Gift Shop, Cruise line, Delta, and Shuttle Express

Union Membership: yes: 7, no: 17

Job Titles: Manifesting Coordinator, Rep Agent, Loader (Running Store), -Passenger Service, Agent, Sales Associate, On-call Tour Guide, Security, Loader at Boeing airport, Barista (4), Receptionist, Cashier, Pre-Board Screener (for Am. Airlines, Horizon, Alaska Air), Onshore Director, Summer internship: ticket counter, Customer Service, Customer Service Rep. (meets passengers and helps them), Special Services (pushes wheel chairs), Warehouse – Merchandise, Driver, Ground Agent, Food Preparation.

(Interviewer: complete wage box that is most appropriate)

Wages Earned Per Hour: on Average $8.05, Minimum: $6.50, Maximum: $13.57 Per Month: ___________ Bimonthly: ____________

Number of Hours Worked Per Week: 14 full-time (40 hours), 8 part-time (7.5-37.5 hours)

Which of the following benefits did you receive through this job?

Medical: 10 Childcare: 0 Any benefits: 12 No benefits: 12

Retirement: 2 Education: 0

Other benefits:

--Dental and vacation

--Medical promised at interview - never came through.

--Travel, vacation, dental and vision.

--Insured through parents.

--Vacation and parking subsidy ($25 out of $32/month)

--Already has benefits from previous job.

3D. Are you still working with this company? (Prompt: Check the most appropriate response that applies)

Yes, in the same job; no wage increase 11 (Go to 4A)

Yes, in the same job; received wage increase 0 (Go to 4A)

Yes, received promotion to another job in the same company 1 (Go to 4A)

No, quit looking for work 0 (Stop Interview)

No, quit – taking time off 3 (Stop Interview)

No, going to school 2 (Go to 3E)

No, took another job 5 (Go to 3E)

Fired (Prompt for why) 0

(Why Fired): _______________________________ (Go to 3E)

Quit and entered job in another company 0 (Go to 3E)

Other:

--Seasonal job ended in October. He moved back to Denver.

--Had to quit because he needs medical insurance (back problems) and company never paid for insurance despite promise at job interview.

--She quit the job she got through the center because it wasn’t worth it (hours and pay). She lives in Lakewood and it was too expensive for transportation ($7.50) compared to the low pay. The hours were from 10:00-5:30 and from 1:00-7:00.

3E. Are you working now?

Yes 21 No 9 (skip to 4A+B, then to demographics)

Start Date: _________________________________

Company: ICTS, Alaska Airlines, Pierce Transit Tacoma, WA Employer, Bartell Drugs, Point Leaf Services, Worldwide Shore Services, Burns International (mother company of Globe Aviation, which lost their SeaTac contract), HMS Host; Bank of America

Job Title: Special Services, General Field Agent, Transit Operation, Receptionist, Cashier, Residential Manager, Reservations, Administrative Specialist, Hardware/Utility; Associate in Wholesale Department (downtown)

Wages Earned Per Hour: Average $9.84, Minimum: $6.72, Maximum: $15

Number of Hours Worked Per Week: 6 full-time (40 hours/week), 2 part-time (27.5 and 32 hours/week)

Benefits: 9 yes, 1 no

Job Performance

4A. How would you assess your performance in your job?

Excellent 21

Good 8

Fair _____

Poor _____

Please explain:

--Customers never complained about her. She helps them. Everyone is satisfied with her performance.

--She received gifts and thank you cards for her work on the cruise line. She was selected as a Manager of Employees on a ship to Canada and then trained new employees.

--She has to be accurate and very fast at her current job, which are good skills in any job.

4B. Is there anything/any help you need to be more successful in your job?

-No (14 respondents).

-No. Job descriptions were clear. He had a good idea of what was expected of him.

-Medical insurance needed: He would like to work but currently can't because he is sick (back problems).

-Extra job training and extra computer training (she did receive training before she started the job but more training would be good).

-Typing class for speed and accuracy.

-More training at the beginning.

-No. Training was good.

-Extra training. Increase paycheck and insurance. Transportation to the job is a big problem.

-More job advertisement.

-More hours: she would like to work longer.

-Computer training, incl. WORD.

--Everyone gets 3-4 weeks training in the beginning and she is still learning. Computer training would be helpful.

--No, first manager was helpful (2nd manager was less helpful and too authoritarian).

--Technical training that is related to jobs up the ladder, e.g. he looked at jobs at the Port of Seattle but did not have of the technical skills. Computer training would be good, too.

--Additional training in relation to her job: Food preparation.

4C. What career advancement opportunities exist in your company for someone in your job?

--Had other jobs offers with same company but he had no transportation to get downtown. He's now back in Denver.

--Sky cab and manager.

--Company hires internally up but employees have to wait for 6 months before they can apply for higher positions (in contrast to public), which is not fair.

--There are some (not sure about specifics). The company is stable and offers opportunities for growth.

--None (12).

--Opportunities exist.

--He never asked.

--There are advancement opportunities, not sure about specifics.

--Manager.

--Other jobs in the company.

--There are some higher-level jobs.

--Other manager positions.

--Different positions to transfer to.

--Don't Know.

--There are different positions in the company that most people find through the internet.

--There are some but the company is going through tough times right now and is cutting jobs.

--This is not a job you would choose as a career. "The way I look at it, they pay me to exercise." (pushing wheel chairs at the airport)

4D. Is there anything standing in the way of your being promoted or advancing in your company?

No advancement opportunities 8

No job openings 2

Need to build job skills 2

Need to improve English 0

Need more education 2

Other: _______________________________

No barriers: 12 (Barriers: 13)

Don’t Know 0

Other:

-Transportation to job.

-Union.

-Manager never mentioned when openings were available (he kept that information to himself).

5A. How long do most people in your job stay in the company?

10 < 6 Months 10 6 Months – Several Years 5 10-15 Years

2 Don’t Know ____________N/A

5B. How long do you think you’ll stay in the company?

4 Less than half a year / currently looking for other job

6 Several years

9 As long as possible 2 Don’t Know 9 N/A

Age: Average: 34, Youngest: 15, Oldest: 68 Limited English Speaking: 5 Ethnicity: white: 12, African-American: 6, Asian-American: 8, Other: 4

Sex: male: 15, female:15 Zip Code: (see Figure 4) Languages: English, Hindi, Punjabi, Samoan, Tagalog, German, Spanish, Korean, Amharic, Japanese

Employment Within The Last 12 Months (Prompt for types/duration): Shuttle bus driver with Horizon and Security checking, Non-airport job in Denver. Can't find airport job (no center in Denver), He worked at the Marriott job for 8.5 months, Dept. of Commerce, Jackson Hewlitt, All American Cruiselines, Temp. Services, office work, collector, salesman, QFC (grocery store), Texas: not at the airport, grocery store, Globe Aviation (Human Resources) - had medical insurance; 1 month at Gate Gourmet (not at airport, near a cemetery) - then her husband got really sick; She did not work in any other job besides Starbucks because she just moved to Seattle from the Philippines a year ago; She worked for 2 months at a Kindergarten/Learning Center as a head teacher. She liked it but it was not for her in the long run; Fast food restaurant; School bus driver

Education Level: High school (with or without degree): 12, college (with or without degree): 17

Comments:

He left his first airport job because it was too stressful but now he's back at the airport.

He would like to find a job with medical insurance that fits with his college schedule.

Airport job is convenient for her because she lives nearby. She likes Horizon because it's culturally, sexually, and religiously diverse. People are hired irregardless of weight, looks, facial scars, etc. (no discrimination). They hire real people, incl. older people.

He is a junior in High School. His parents insured him.

He'll stay with current company as long as it takes to find a full-time (40h) job.

She quit her job because of personal problems she had with the manager (nothing the center could do anything about).

She hated working at the Gift Shop: they were incredibly rude to her, yelled at her for things she didn't do. She almost got raped on her way to work at 5am - her manager's response was: if you have a problem with the hours, you shouldn't have taken the job. She is currently in college, studying to become a pharmacist.

The $8 wage is too low to cover living expenses. There is no good medical insurance with the job: coverage is voluntary and up to the worker. Transportation is a big problem because he can't afford a car at the wage he is paid. He moved to Hawaii with his wife in 1989 from the Philippines but his wife divorced him because he wasn't earning enough money. He graduated from college in 1973. He is currently looking for a better job ($10/hour and up) but he can't afford the rent in the area where there are better jobs (such as Bellevue). He worked in a hotel and for a bank (for 8 years) in Hawaii.

The cruise line hires employees for a season and then re-hires them if they are successful. She was going to be re-hired but then got pregnant and is now at home because there are complications with the pregnancy.

She is a single mother and graduated from high school in Germany as a beautician.

She only worked on Sundays but quit the job because it was too hard on her feet to stand all day. She works as a residential manager in the building she lives in but is keeping her eyes open for other jobs.

She worked as a travel agent in Peru and got a seasonal job with Worldwide Shore Services, a cruise ship company. She is now working full-time in the downtown office of the company, which she enjoys because it's in her original area of expertise. She recommends the seasonal cruise ship jobs to students and people who are retired.

Not a lot of people know about center: better marketing. 16-year-old students can work at Globe (e.g. wheel chair assistants): let them know. She is now in the process of going to college. The only problem with airport jobs are the low wages.

Interviewer comment: Long pauses in response to questions. Not willing to answer (seemed like questions were too personal for him).

He is retired and works part-time. He works with many students, people who are foreign born, or retired. He walks across the airport 6-8 times a day, pushing wheel chairs.

Her husband got really sick right after her first job interview (radiation and chemo therapy). She is the only one who could take care of him so she quit looking for a job. However, she is currently looking for a job.

The Starbucks hourly wage was raised from $7.35 to $7.55 after 2 months. She stopped working at Starbucks because she now has a baby.

Her son is still young. When he gets older and she has more experience, she will apply again at the airport for a job. Her current job is good because she can start at 5:30am and be back at 2pm, so her husband is with the child in the morning and she is with him in the afternoon. There is a lot of turnover in her department to other departments once people acquire skills. On the other hand, many people stay for several years, so there are two different groups. After a year, she would like to change to a different department after taking a computer course.

He finished his summer job to go back to high school.

Wages also include tips. He is planning to go back to the Airport Jobs Center to look for another job.

He will stay with his current job if he gets a wage increase soon. Otherwise he will switch jobs. Horizon's benefits are good, better than at United or NW but their wages are not good.

She started working 40 hours and is now working 35 hours. The job is very convenient for her because it's on a bus line, and it is easy for her to get access to her kids.

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