By Dec. 31, 2017, of the 609,306 total piloting jobs available in the U.S, 42,694 of those were held by women, representing seven percent of the total piloting jobs in the country, according to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Annual U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics report. Additionally, in that report, the FAA totaled women working in aviation in non-piloting jobs — which includes everything from mechanics to dispatchers — to represent only 29.2 percent of the total jobs.
Girls in Aviation Day — an annual worldwide event hosted by Women in Aviation International (WAI) — is hoping to change these statistics and introduce young girls into the world of aviation early on, and help them discover the numerous career opportunities within the industry.
UAA’s First Year Advising Team, from L–R: Quentin Simeon, Valerie Robideaux, Valerie Svancara, Andrea Hudson, Kae Hartman, Sharon Pruszko, Tara Ballard, Jerry Brockman. (Photo by James Evans / University of Alaska Anchorage)
Transitioning into college can be stressful and overwhelming, but there’s a new team of professionals on campus to ensure new students have the tools and resources needed to make the most out of their college career at UAA.
Enter the First-Year Advisors (FYA). This newly created team is made up of advising professionals who are dedicated to helping new students feel welcome, connected and prepared.
Advisors can help students with anything from registering for classes, finding answers to questions, connecting with various campus and community resources, or just being a listening ear on particularly stressful days.
Chef Noah Miller instructs culinary arts students Jannie Mangalus and Shelby Boos during Miller’s A la Carte Kitchen and Culinary Skill Development laboratories in Lucy Cuddy Hall’s Bakery. (Photo by James Evans / University of Alaska Anchorage)
UAA’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Administration Division’s kitchen recently underwent a major renovation, but that’s not all that’s new within the culinary school. With an in-state, online offering of the hospitality administration degree, as well as exciting new partnerships, faculty are excited to usher in a new era of culinary arts at the university.
Burgh, Peter and Enns demonstrate neonatal care during a simulation.
Students in the UAA Paramedic Program and Nursing Program participated in an interdisciplinary simulation involving an active shooter incident at a Women’s Health Center on the Mat-Su College campus. The event was the semester’s final scenario-based practical exam for the paramedic students who demonstrated their knowledge of mass casualty incident management, triage, trauma care and maternal and newborn care, including complications of childbirth and neonatal resuscitation. Nursing students from the Matanuska-Susitna College outreach cohort volunteered to provide additional support and add realism to the simulated healthcare setting. The project was a joint effort between School of Nursing, EMS Training and Education, and the College of Health’s newly appointed simulation network coordinator, Lisa Behrens.
“The focus on simulation moves us into the future of healthcare education, as it provides a safe environment for students to practice in high-acuity/high-stress patient care situations,” said Behrens. “This vision and work by the COH ultimately improve patient safety and outcomes in real-world healthcare situations our graduates will face in their future careers,” she added.
Simulation involving nursing and paramedic students is not new to the Mat-Su campus. Associate Professor of Nursing Dorothy Kinley, RN, MS, and Assistant Professor of Paramedical Technology Dane Wallace, NRP, have coordinated on several occasions to produce realistic simulations that emphasize the collaborative nature of modern healthcare. “We have a good relationship between the programs, and the students have found the collaborative simulations beneficial. It promotes the type of interdisciplinary collaboration that is a must in today’s healthcare environment.” Kinley said. The two are planning additional interdisciplinary learning opportunities going forward.
Photo courtesy of UAF Community and Technical College
Throughout the course of our daily lives we depend on the skills and services of others. From bookkeepers, nursing aides, and security personnel to welders, small engine repair, and heavy equipment mechanics, Alaska thrives when there is a dedicated workforce that serves our communities.
You may be surprised to learn that these jobs require some form of post-secondary training, which can be earned through the University of Alaska (UA), now at a reduced tuition rate.
UA is cutting tuition on select occupational programs and career and technical education (CTE) courses by 25 percent. The discount applies to 50 programs and more than 300 courses at all three universities including community campuses. Eligible programs range from pharmacy technology to welding and mine mechanics; many courses can be taken online to accommodate employed Alaskans looking to refresh skills or embark on a new career.
The university is the No. 1 provider of workforce development programs in the state, and training a skilled workforce to meet the state’s needs is one of UA’s top goals. While UA’s tuition is low compared to peer universities in the western United States, its tuition for CTE programs has been considered to be high compared to community college systems Outside.
UA Workforce Development News 