Alaska Apprenticeship Expansion Grant

In November 2016, DOLWD was awarded a $1 million 18-month competitive grant through the USDOL's ApprenticeshipUSA Expansion Grant program. The two focus areas are health care  (Community Health Worker, Medical Administrative Assistant, Clinical Medical Assistant, and Medical Biller/Coder) and aviation (Pilot, Dispatcher, and Airframe & Powerplant Mechanic).   Industry partners are the Alaska Air Carriers Association and the Alaska Primary Care Association.  According to DOLWD's  press  release, "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."

For the full press release, please visit ​http://labor.alaska.gov/news/2016/news16-37.pdf.

Alaska Apprenticeship Plan

The USDOL has awarded Alaska, along with most other states, a small grant to develop a state Apprenticeship Plan.  The Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD), Division of Employment and Training Services, is administering this grant and developing the plan.  As part of the planning process, we are inviting stakeholder input through public meetings and online surveys.  For more information on the Apprenticeship Plan, please contact Zack Fields, zack.fields@alaska.gov. 

Alaska Health Care Registered Apprenticeship Initiative

DOLWD received a $2.9M USDOL grant for a five-year project to expand Registered Apprenticeships (RA) in the health care industry. Gerry Andrews is the Health Care Apprenticeship Coordinator and is working closely with a variety of health care providers to establish RA programs focusing on Behavioral Health workers. He is also working with school districts on school to apprenticeship programs, Alaska Pioneer Homes for CNA RA programs, Alaska Native Health Care providers, and many other agencies across the state in establishing health care RA programs.

As part of this initiative, the Alaska Health Care Apprenticeship Consortium, a  new multi-employer 501(c)(3) organization, will become a sponsor of health care RA programs. This will provide a structure through which employers may expand the RA training more quickly, affordably, and comprehensively, in coordination with other employers and labor unions, than they would be able to on their own. More information at http://ahcac.net/.

For more information on health care Registered Apprenticeships, contact Gerry Andrews at gerry.andrews@alaska.gov. ​

Apprenticeships and the Alaska Performance Scholarship

Participants in a Registered Apprenticeship program may use their Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) to cover expenses not covered by the Apprenticeship program or other sources, including the cost of tools, tuition and fees, transportation to the training site, and room and board. 

Before a participant may use the APS, the Apprenticeship program must apply to become an APS provider, a relatively simple process. Download the 2-page Quick Reference Guide here!

For more information about APS program participation

Other Apprenticeship Information