Today, Washington’s aerospace industry is strong and growing, employing more than 131,000 people working in more than 1,250 companies in nearly every county of the state.

But we can’t take aerospace for granted. Other states and countries continue to want these jobs and are competing hard, while the aerospace marketplace also continues to be cyclical and affected by diverse market forces.

In 2009, the Prosperity Partnership helped launch the Washington Aerospace Partnership—a coalition of business, labor and local government leaders working to sustain and grow aerospace industry jobs in Washington. Since then, the Prosperity Partnership continues to support this coalition.

Currently, the Prosperity Partnership is working with the Governor’s Office of Aerospace to develop a statewide aerospace strategy to ensure that Washington remains the worldwide center of aerospace innovation and excellence. This strategy will offer a unified vision on which communities all over the state can collaborate to ensure that Washington remains the leading location in the world for aerospace.