Tag: Teacher Education

UAF Bristol Bay Campus receives funding for solar energy training

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Bristol Bay Campus recently received  support from the Alaska Technical Vocational Education Program for a solar energy installation instructor training program.
 
This “train the trainer” initiative will teach participants how to install solar electric power systems and how to teach the concepts to help certify others with Solar Energy International. The goal of this training is to develop the first group of Alaska-trained solar electric installation instructors in the state.

The solar energy training will take place in Spring 2023 and is for groups and individuals interested in beginning their professional careers in solar energy in the state of Alaska.

To learn more about this opportunity and join in the training, contact esgoddard01@alaska.edu or the Bristol Bay Campus at uaf-bbcinfo@alaska.edu.

Source: UAF News and Information.

UAA collaboration receives $4.39M toward teacher training and retention in Bristol Bay

In early September 2022, the Bristol Bay Teaching and Learning Collaborative (BBTLC) —  which comprises the UAA School of Education (SOE), Bristol Bay Native Corporation Education Foundation (BBNCEF), Alaska Humanities Forum, Bristol Bay Region Career and Technical Education, Bristol Bay Native Corporation and Bristol Bay’s four school districts — was awarded a $4.39 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), just in time for the start of a new academic year.

BBTLC will focus on three areas: facilitating teacher development and retention from the region, enhancing positive engagement between the communities and schools, and helping teachers from outside the region better understand local context through culturally responsive practices. Read more.

Source: UAA News.

University of Alaska’s teacher education programs support Alaska’s future

Amidst a nationwide teacher shortage, the University of Alaska is focused on increasing its teacher pipeline to provide the state with the workforce it needs and help shape the future of Alaska. 

“We know that when incoming students weigh their career options, they’re looking at choices from an economic perspective,” said Steve Atwater, executive dean of Alaska College of Education. “They are concerned about the return on their educational investment. When it comes to careers in education, UA offers a good return on that investment with a wide array of degrees and certificates that are affordable and lead directly to employment.”

According to a University of Alaska workforce report from Dec. 2020, nearly 90 percent of graduates are working in education within a year of finishing their degrees. 

Between University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks and University of Alaska Southeast, the system offers 41 programs linked to teacher education. From elementary and secondary education to music education, educational leadership and more, there are many career options to explore. 

“Alaska students are our future – and a quality, stable teaching workforce is one of the best ways we can help to set them up for success,” said Atwater. “When we hire teachers that are educated in Alaska and are invested in the communities in which they teach, everyone wins.”

Prospective students and current teachers can visit UA’s new, interactive teacher education website at TeachAlaska.org to explore which degree and certificate options best fit their career goals. 

About University of Alaska Schools of Education 

The University of Alaska offers a wide range of teacher education programs at all three universities in the UA system for students wishing to become educators. UA’s programs range from associate degrees to four-year and advanced degrees as well as certification programs. Degree-seeking students can enroll in distance or on-campus courses. 

Source: UA News Center

Reports show value of UA workforce development programs

Quantifying the impact of postsecondary education on the workforce across Alaska industries has long-been a challenge for the state and university. In an effort to address this, the State Department of Labor and Workforce Development partnered with the University of Alaska (UA) to create workforce reports that demonstrate UA graduate outcomes in 10 key industries: administration and finance, aviation, construction, fisheries and marine science, health, information technology, mining, oil and gas, and teacher education. Each report highlights the largest and fastest-growing occupations within each industry that require postsecondary education, average wages earned over time, the percentage of graduates employed across Alaska’s six economic regions, what industries they work in, and how they contribute to the Alaska hire rate. More than 17,700 UA graduates over a ten year period were included in the report data, and 96.3 percent are working in Alaska today averaging $69K annually. The reports can be found at https://www.alaska.edu/research/wd/reports.php.

Read the full article here.

Source: Reports show value of UA workforce development programs | Juneau Empire