Kirkland business owner Nancy Burritt has been nominated as a finalist in the King County Executive’s Small Business Awards for “Workforce Development Small Business of the Year.”

Burritt, who runs Skymania Trampolines in the Totem Lake neighborhood, is the only Kirkland-based business to make it as a finalist in any category this year.

According to the county’s website, the award “recognizes the small business with outstanding practices in hiring, retaining, and developing the skills of its workers.”

The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony Oct. 15 at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue.

Burritt said most of her employees are 21 and under, which she sees as an opportunity to train young adults and give them valuable skills they will take with them as they progress in their careers.

“A part of our belief is we need to coach them so when they move to the next job they have what they need to become a better employee for someone else,” she said. “It was part of our founding activities we wanted to do. For a lot of them, this is their first job.”

Among those skills, she said, is the ability to interact well with others, show up on time for work.

“People aren’t taught that very much anymore,” she said. “We want to help them grow in their relationships whether college high school or their next job.”

Another skill she said she emphasizes strongly is interacting well with customers.

“There has to be growth, because in this business, as in any other business, if the customer service is not outstanding and above and beyond, you’re not going to make it,” she said. “My young adults are the customer service front liners.”

Skymania also does a lot for children by hosting various events throughout the year.

The business teamed up with Placefull and Birthday Dreams to throw a party to benefit homeless youth and foster children throughout the Puget Sound last year.

Skymania also hosts New York Life’s Child I.D. program, designed to help children in the community learn how to stay safe in the home, at play or wherever they happen to be. A child I.D. gives parents or guardians the peace of mind knowing that they will have an I.D. with vital information to distribute to the local authorities.

Skymania opened in late 2011 and is located at 11801 N.E. 116th St. in Kirkland.

For more information on the awards, go to www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/constantine/initiatives/small-business-awards.aspx.