Category: Funding Opportunities

The State Training and Employment Program (STEP) Request for Grant Applications for State Fiscal Year 2018

The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Employment and Training Services requests grant applications for training projects in priority industries under the State Training and Employment Program (STEP).  The STEP is funded by a percentage of the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and is appropriated to the Division by the Alaska State Legislature.

The purpose of the STEP is to enhance the quality and accessibility of in-state training and employment services for Alaska residents to help meet the workforce needs of employers in the state. STEP seeks to increase resident employment in industries where a high number of nonresidents are working, reduce future unemployment claims, and foster economic growth in all regions by meeting employers demand for a skilled workforce.

Organizations with training projects that will upgrade the skills of the local workforce with the latest national and state certifications and competencies in demand by employers in the priority industries are encouraged to apply. Training participants must meet the eligibility requirements of the STEP.

Visit the public notice and view attachments at https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=184837

Source: Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development

Alaska Primary Care Association Launches Health Care Apprenticeships

JUNEAU, Alaska— The Alaska Primary Care Association, Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and U.S. Department of Labor have signed standards of apprenticeship to start four new health care Registered Apprenticeship programs. The Registered Apprenticeships include Community Health Worker, Medical Administrative Assistant, Clinical Medical Assistant, and Medical Biller/Coder. This program is supported with federal grant money from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Christian Health Associates, Bethel Family Clinic, Camai Community Health Center (Bristol Bay), Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments, Cross Road Health Ministries, Easter Aleutian Tribes, Girdwood Health Center, Interior Community Health Center, Yakutat Tlingit Tribe, and Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation have already identified Alaskans who are signing up as apprentices through the program.

“This represents a massive expansion of Registered Apprenticeship in the health care sector and in rural Alaska,” said Alaska Labor Commissioner Heidi Drygas. “Community Health Workers and other health care professionals will help improve Alaskans’ health care while supporting cost effectiveness strategies identified in Senate Bill 74 and the Healthy Alaska Plan.”

“Registered Apprenticeship is part of the solution to Alaska’s health workforce shortages – and it’s a win-win-win for the apprentice, the practices, and the community. It’s a grow-your-own training strategy that improves the availability of quality care while controlling costs,” said Nancy Merriman, Executive Director of the Alaska Primary Care Association.

Registered Apprenticeship combines on-the-job training with technical classroom instruction, and is designed to offer worker training based on the needs of the employers. Registered Apprenticeship programs directly contribute to higher rates of Alaska Hire and lower rates of unemployment. The number of Registered Apprenticeship program sponsors has increased 86% since 2000.

Alaskans interested in these health care Registered Apprenticeship opportunities should visit http://www.alaskapca.org/workforce.

Source: Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development Press Release – February 2, 2017

UAS SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES – FEBRUARY 15 DEADLINE!

The February 15 deadline for University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) scholarships is fast approaching. UAS-specific scholarships are open to students who will attend a UAS campus in Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, or enroll in an online program. There are also UA Statewide scholarships which are open to students who attend any University of Alaska campus. More than 50 scholarships of varying amounts are available. All scholarships are listed on the UAS Financial Aid website: uas.alaska.edu/finaid.

New this year is the Verna Carrigan Promise Scholarship, open to high school seniors from Southeast Alaska high schools or a homeschool program. This one-time $3,000 award is unusual because it is geared to students who have overcome significant challenges in their education and life—who despite those challenges demonstrate talent, fortitude, and the motivation to succeed. They may not have the highest grade point average or test scores, but their will to succeed is clear.

Another is the Southeast Conference Scholarship for UAS students who are residents of our region who demonstrate motivation, academic and leadership potential, and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applicants must show they are committed to the development of business and commerce in Southeast Alaska.

Hecla Greens Creek Mine near Juneau supports the Hecla Greens Creek Environmental Science Scholarship for UAS environmental science majors in their junior or senior year. The goal of this award is degree completion for promising environmental science students, enabling them in their future careers to develop natural resources in a sustainable way.

Applying for scholarships is easy. Students must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at fafsa.ed.gov. New students need to first apply for admission at uas.alaska.edu/apply. The scholarship application can be found by logging in to UAOnline.alaska.edu and following the section titled “Student Services and Account Information” to the scholarship section. Some scholarships require supplemental applications and these can be found at the bottom of the main application.

For more about financial aid and a complete list of scholarships available at the University of Alaska Southeast, visit www.uas.alaska.edu/finaid, or call to speak to one of their advisors at 907-796-6100.

AGC & Construction Education Foundation Scholarships

The 2017 AGC/CEF Scholarship Applications are open!

How do I apply for these scholarships? Click here and complete all sections of the online application.

Who is eligible for these scholarships? Any Alaskan resident pursuing post-secondary education in a construction-related field at a school either in or outside of the state, with the intent to live and work in Alaska after completing their program.

How many scholarships are awarded? Six total scholarships are awarded: Two at $5,000 and four at $2,500.

When are applications due? Applications are due to the Anchorage AGC office by 4:00 pm on Saturday, April 1st, 2017.

When and how are recipients notified? Successful scholarship recipients will be notified in writing by May 19, 2017 and their award will be presented at the AGC Annual Golf Tournament reception on June 15th, 2017 at the AGC offices.

Source: AGC & Construction Education Foundation Scholarships – AGC of Alaska

Fellowships for Graduate Students in Marine Sciences and Marine Policy

Sea Grant and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offer several fellowship opportunities for Alaska graduate students interested in marine science and policy.

Closest to home is the Alaska Sea Grant State Fellowship Program, providing a unique professional opportunity for soon-to-graduate or recently finished graduate students interested in the science and policy needed to keep marine resources healthy. The program matches highly motivated students and/or recent graduates with hosts in Alaska-based state or federal agencies for a 12-month paid fellowship. Currently Jane Sullivan, Sarah Apsens, and Jennifer Marsh are working as Alaska Sea Grant State Fellows in Anchorage and Juneau, placed at NMFS and the National Park Service. Application deadline for students for the 2017-2018 fellowship is February 24, 2017. Selected fellows will begin jobs in summer/fall 2017.

The Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program seeks graduate students with an interest in national policy decisions affecting coastal and ocean resources. Fellows spend a year in the Washington, DC, area in an executive or legislative position, working on national policy issues. Alaska Sea Grant–sponsored Erin Shew is finishing up her year as a Knauss Fellow with the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and Kelly Cates and Charlotte Regula-Whitefield will start their Knauss fellowships in early 2017. The deadline to apply for the 2018 National Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship is February 10, 2017.

The NOAA Fisheries (NMFS)–Sea Grant Fellowship is for PhD students interested in careers related to marine ecosystem and population dynamics, with a focus on modeling and managing systems of living marine resources; or economics of the conservation and management of living marine resources. Recipients work with a mentor from NOAA Fisheries. Fellows interested in population and ecosystem dynamics can receive up to three years of funding, and those in marine resource economics can receive two years of funding. The deadline for applicants is January 27, 2017.

Source: Fellowships for Graduate Students in Marine Sciences and Marine Policy | research | Alaska Sea Grant