Tag: Transportation

Alaska Wins One Million Dollar Grant to Expand Registered Apprenticeships in Health Care and Aviation

The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded a competitive grant of $1,019,985 to the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development to train Alaskans for careers in the health care and aviation industries. The training will utilize Registered Apprenticeships, which are employer driven workforce development programs that combine structured on the job training with technical classroom instruction.

Registered Apprenticeships supported by the grant include Community Health Worker, Medical Administrative Assistant, Clinical Medical Assistant, Medical Biller/Coder, Commercial Pilot, Airframe and Power Plant Mechanic, and Aircraft Dispatcher. The apprenticeships will be accessible statewide, with strong participation from air carriers and primary care clinics serving rural villages and hub communities, in addition to Alaska’s urban centers.

“Registered Apprenticeship programs directly contribute to higher rates of Alaska Hire and lower rates of unemployment by increasing the supply of trained workers,” said Labor Commissioner Heidi Drygas. “Thank you to the Alaska Primary Care Association and Alaska Air Carriers Association members who are stepping up to expand training and job opportunities for Alaskans.”

The grant represents the most recent milestone in a comprehensive state effort to expand apprenticeships and increase Alaska Hire. Already, the state has re-established Alaska Hire requirements, expanded apprenticeship utilization targets for state-funded projects, and obtained federal funding to help health care providers form a multi-employer sponsor of health care apprenticeships. The $1 million ApprenticeshipUSA grant will build on that progress, as the Alaska Primary Care Association’s apprenticeships will be housed in the multi-employer Alaska Health Care Apprenticeship Consortium.

Source: Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development Press Release – October 24, 2016

UAA’s Automotive and Diesel Technology Programs Featured on KTVA

UAA’s Automotive Technology and Diesel Power Technology programs, part of the Community and Technical College’s Transportation & Power Division, were recently featured on KTVA CBS 11 News.

KTVA 11 spoke with students and faculty in the Diesel Power Technology program, highlighting how UAA works with industry partners to provide hands-on learning experiences for students, while also keeping costs down. Visit KTVA.com for the full story.

Source: UAA’s Automotive and Diesel Technology programs featured on KTVA – Green & Gold News

With a Possible Pilot Shortage Looming, Some in Alaska are Especially Concerned

In a state where many people live off the road system and rely on aviation for everything from grocery deliveries to medical transportation, some in the aviation industry are concerned about how growing global demand for pilots will affect Alaska.

And others say a pilot shortage has already arrived.

“We’re extremely concerned about pilot supply over the next one, two, three to five years,” said Brad Lambert, vice president of flight operations at Horizon Air, speaking broadly of the airline’s operations, and not just in Alaska. “We’re just concerned there won’t be enough young people entering the profession.”

But in Alaska, where air travel is so crucial, the effects might be particularly acute.

“It’s the lifeblood of Alaska, especially within rural Alaska,” said Corey Hester, executive director of the Alaska Airmen Association.

The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development estimates that employment and job openings for airline pilots, co-pilots and flight engineers will grow nearly 12 percent between 2014 and 2024. Openings are also “very high” for aircraft mechanics and aircraft service technicians in Alaska, according to data from the Labor Department.

To read the full article, click here.

Source: With a possible pilot shortage looming, some in Alaska are especially concerned – Alaska Dispatch News