Category: Workforce Development

UAA’s Aviation Program Awarded $50,000 in Scholarships from Atlas Air Worldwide

Atlas Air CEO Michael Steen tours the flight line with UAA Piloting and Aviation Management Professor Cassie Martin and Chief Strategic Gifts Officer Jennifer Motes as he visits UAA’s Aviation Technology Center. (Photo by James Evans / University of Alaska Anchorage)

Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Inc., a leading global provider of outsourced aviation logistics, announced today that it will award $50,000 in scholarships to the University of Alaska Anchorage. The needs-based scholarships will help offset education costs for students pursuing careers in the aviation industry. The award will include four $5,000 scholarships for students pursuing careers as aviation maintenance technicians and three $10,000 scholarships for those aspiring to become pilots.

This scholarship is going to have a profound impact on our program, improving our students’ ability to get through the program on time. So many of our students work full-time jobs trying to make ends meet and pay tuition. With support from Atlas Air, our students will get through the program quickly with a high level of skill, knowledge and preparation to work in Alaska.

Ray Weber, Dean of UAA Community and Technical College

Read the full announcement here.

Source: Michelle Sapport, Writer and Communications Specialist. University of Alaska Anchorage Advancement.

Mining is a Growing Force in Alaska’s Economy

Mining is a growing force in Alaska’s economy, providing jobs for thousands of Alaskans and millions of dollars of personal income throughout Alaska. Alaska’s mining industry includes exploration, mine development, and mineral production. Alaska’s mines produce coal, gold, lead, silver, zinc, as well as construction materials, such as sand, gravel, and rock.

Each year Alaska Miners Association (AMA) commissions the McKinley Research Group  to research the economic impact of Mining in Alaska. Continued investments by the mining industry ensure Alaska’s continued economic growth.

Read the current Economic Impact Report for Mining in Alaska here.

Source: Alaska Miners Association.

Alaska Economic Trends (August 2024)

Dollar folded into a hexagonal envelope, Photo by Flickr user Glenn Sapaden.

Rob Kreiger, economist with the Alaska Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development, examines the trends in household debt, types of debt, and what data the suggest. In recent years, household debt in Alaska has been hitting it’s highest point since 2003 — we know it’s rising, but we’re still learning how effectively people are managing their debts.

The August edition also features a piece on unemployment insurance tax rates, and the monthly Gauging the Economy report.

Read the full edition here.

Trends is a nonpartisan, data-driven magazine that covers a variety of economic topics in Alaska.

Source: Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development, Research & Analysis

Governor Dunleavy signs UA priority legislation to support student success, workforce development

Legislation containing several of the University of Alaska’s (UA) top priorities has been signed into law by Governor Dunleavy. House Bill 148 (HB148) expands the Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS), reauthorizes the Technical Vocation and Education Program (TVEP), and extends the Education Tax Credit (ETC) program. Together, the changes will help prepare and develop Alaska students for the workforce by making post-secondary education more accessible and attainable. 

All three of these programs were priorities for the university this year, and I’m very grateful to the Legislature and Governor Dunleavy for their support. UA is an economic engine that empowers Alaska. APS, TVEP, and the ETC are key programs for attracting Alaska students, providing high-quality workforce training and collaborating directly with industry to develop programs that meet their employment and research needs.

UA President Pat Pitney

Read the full article here.

Source: UA News Center, Office of Public Affairs.

Uher named associate vice chancellor of rural, workforce education

Photo UAF photo by JR Ancheta

Bryan Uher has been appointed as the new associate vice chancellor of rural, workforce education within the Rural, Community and Native Education unit. Uher will oversee the rural campuses and the Mining and Petroleum Training Service units, along with supporting UAF’s workforce and partnership development and specialized accreditations within the College of Indigenous Studies  and the Community and Technical College.

Having served as a rural campus director and as dean of both CIS (formerly the College of Rural and Community Development) and CTC, Uher has valuable insight into current and future opportunities for increased synergies across our programs and regions. His leadership will significantly strengthen and reinforce UAF’s collective capacity to serve the rural and workforce education needs across the state. 

Source: Kari Halverson, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, UAF Community & Technical College