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The 2018 CTE Plan Addendum was released today. A product of the Alaska Workforce Investment Board's CTE Plan Working Group, the addendum seeks to re-energize the conversation around CTE and provide an advocacy tool to help ensure that CTE opportunities are available and communicated to Alaskans. View or download the CTE Plan Addendum here.  U.S. Department of Labor Awards Alaska $3.35M to Prepare Alaskans for Work in High-Growth Industries10/1/2018
October 1, 2018
No. 18-38 JUNEAU, Alaska — The U.S. Department of Labor awarded $3.35 million dollars to the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development in Trade and Economic Transition Dislocated Worker Grants. This two-year funding will expand the capacity of dislocated worker training and employment programs that prepare Alaskans for occupations in the state’s fastest growing sectors: health care, construction, and maritime industries. “It is critical that we invest in Alaskans who seek training to be first in line for these high-paying jobs on major projects, such as the Alaska LNG Gasline,” said Alaska Governor Bill Walker. “This funding will assist as we grow our own skilled workforce to fill essential occupations; from welders and pipefitters, operating engineers, to truck drivers, laborers, electricians and mechanics.” Dislocated Worker Grants support state, tribal, and non-profit entities that implement innovative skills training and career services for people seeking reemployment as the economy and corresponding workforce needs change. Alaska’s aging workforce will increase demand for qualified workers across all sectors, in addition to the growing number of jobs in health care, construction, and maritime industries. This funding will boost existing training and support services provided by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Job Center Network. “This funding supports our steadfast commitment to Alaska Hire and a robust, skilled workforce,” said Labor Commissioner Heidi Drygas. “It is critical that Alaskans who need to transition careers are ready to go to work in these high demand occupations, and the Department is eager to assist in that process.” Grant funds will be available through the job centers for dislocated workers and will come in diverse forms, including:
### Join Advance CTE on Thursday, September 20 from 2 – 3 p.m. ET for Advance CTE’s webinar, The State’s Role in Communicating About Career Technical Education (CTE). Advance CTE will feature Idaho Career and Technical Education and how they have transformed the way in which they communicate about CTE with all stakeholders. Caty Solace, Outreach and Communications Manager at the Idaho Workforce Development Council, will discuss how Idaho CTE created a statewide brand, introduced storytelling as a major component of their communications plan and the tactical strategies they used to better communicate about the value and promise of CTE across all audiences.
Speakers:
Katie Fitzgerald, Communications Manager CTE Presidential Scholars Award The program is open to all high school seniors who participate in a CTE program, who will graduate between January and June 2019, and who are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents. Students at public, private, and home schools are eligible. This is not a scholarship program; it is a recognition program. Presidential Scholars will receive a medallion at an expenses-paid ceremony in Washington, D.C. The state may nominate up to five exemplary high school seniors. The Presidential Scholars will be chosen by a commission. Applications are due by 4 p.m. November 1. Only two scholars per school may be nominated. See http://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/faq.html#applications. The Alaska contact is Dr. Bjorn Wolter at 907-465-6542 and bjorn.wolter@alaska.gov  Interested in Earning your Professional Merchant Mariner Credentials Before HS Graduation? AVTEC’s Young Mariner Program fast tracks high school students into a high paying, exciting maritime career without incurring any debt! Students whom successfully complete this course have access to grant funding to pay tuition, room & board and US Coast Guard Credential fees for ALL AVTEC Maritime Training courses. REGISTRATION IS OPEN and will close a week before class starts or as soon as fills. Don’t delay! Fall 2018 Dates: Sept 11- Nov 27, 2018 Spring 2019 Dates: Jan 15- April 9, 2019 Please see the flyer and then register online at: www.avtec.edu/HSNS Questions??? Teri Laird, AVTEC Maritime Admissions, 907-224-6196, teri.laird@avtec.edu  Maritime Works has created a webpage and downloadable flyers that highlight various maritime careers including fisheries; seafood harvesting; seafood processing technical and management; ship building, repair, and maintenance; and vessel operations. Visit the site for lots of great career information - http://maritimeworks.org/careers/.  JUNEAU, Alaska – The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded a competitive grant of $1,263,194 to the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development to provide training and upskilling to workers in professions that support individuals struggling with addiction and expand career opportunities for Alaskans affected by opioid use, addiction, and overdose.
The “Opioid Crisis Intervention and Community Involvement Project” is a two-year grant to improve employment opportunities and outcomes for individuals impacted by the effects of the opioid crisis. The department will partner with the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice, community-based organizations, and health care providers to serve over 600 youth and adults across the state. The project will inform at-risk youth about the dangers of opioid addiction; increase training for behavior health care providers; provide employment supports and services for individuals impacted by the opioid crisis; support teachers through early intervention training; and supply health care partners with Bridge Auricular Stimulators to combat withdrawal symptoms. “By targeting workforce training and services to those affected by opioids, this project supports Governor Walker’s focus on addressing this severe public health emergency in Alaska,” said Labor Commissioner Heidi Drygas. “We look forward to partnering with other agencies and with health care providers across the state to combat this crisis.” On February 15, 2017, Governor Bill Walker declared Alaska’s opioid epidemic a public health crisis. This project, as one component of the Governor Walker’s “Safer Alaska” initiative, will bolster other response efforts throughout the state. The project builds upon existing supports and training services by creating new pathways to training opportunities, providing early intervention in communities, and upskilling health care workers to better serve individuals affected by the opioid epidemic. ### http://labor.alaska.gov/news/2018/news18-30.htm ### Advance CTE has released a new video (about 2.5 minutes long) to promote Career and Technical Education - entitled CTE 101. Please feel free to link to the video, post it directly on your CTE website, and show it at any career presentations you may be hosting or participating in. The link to the video is here: https://careertech.org/campaign-video Data from the video are shown below.  Labor Dept. prepping for AK LNG job demand
By: Elwood Brehmer Alaska Journal of Commerce Post date: Thu, 04/19/2018 - 11:11am "Building a $43 billion project naturally requires a lot of labor. More specifically, the Alaska Gasline Development Corp. estimates its $43 billion Alaska LNG Project will generate upwards of 18,000 new jobs in the state over about six years of construction." Read the full article here: http://www.alaskajournal.com/2018-04-19/labor-dept-prepping-ak-lng-job-demand#.WtoRMC7wZyw The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development has just made its March 2018 Alaska LNG Project Gasline Workforce Plan available. Please visit this link to view or download the plan in PDF format. jobs.alaska.gov/energy/2018_Gasline_Workforce_Plan.pdf  We are asking for your feedback as we review the 2010 Alaska CTE Plan. Two surveys have been developed, a general CTE survey and a survey specific to those representing business and industry in Alaska. Please select the most fitting survey to complete.
Please complete this survey by April 6, 2017. You are welcome to forward this message to others with an interest in career and technical education. By participating in this brief survey, you can assist in efforts to improve Alaska’s career and technical education system and help ensure that Alaskans have the education and training to meet our state’s industry needs. In 2009 the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD), the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED), and the University of Alaska (UA) worked together to develop Alaska’s first plan for Career and Technical Education or CTE (formerly known as vocational education). This original plan, finalized in 2010, was developed in recognition of the need for a stronger system to meet both the educational needs of students and adults and the real needs of our workforce. The Alaska Workforce Investment Board (AWIB), in coordination with DOLWD, DEED, and UA, has formed a Workgroup of board members and other education leaders to review Alaska’s 2010 Career and Technical Education (CTE) Plan and create an addendum to it. With this effort, the Workgroup intends to:
Please contact Allison if you have any questions about the survey or the AWIB Workgroup’s effort. Allison Biastock Executive Director, Alaska Workforce Investment Board Department of Labor & Workforce Development Phone: (907) 375-6407 http://www.labor.state.ak.us In April, UAA will be helping to celebrate financial literacy month. To kick it off, the UAA Financial Aid Office will be hosting events around campus, including the Financial Literacy Resource Fair and Colin Ryan show on April 5. This is free and open to the community and would be great to encourage high school students (and their families) to attend.  In a recent blog post, the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) expresses strong support for career pathways that use a stackable credentials model. These are shorter-term credentials that can be earned all at once or over time. The credentials then “stack,” and can be used toward a longer-term credential like an associate or other degree.
CLASP is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes policy solutions for low-income people. Their focus areas include jobs, training, and education. To read the stackable credentials article, visit this site: https://www.clasp.org/blog/stackable-credentials-are-worth-effort. From the ACTE CTE Policy Watch: "The Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce has supplemented its recent Good Jobs That Pay Without a BA report with a state-by-state analysis that finds that workers with associate’s degrees are getting good jobs in every state. Learn more at GoodJobsData.org, an interactive website of national- and state-level data that users can sort by industry, occupation and education level." A snippet of the Alaska information is shown below. For the entire report, visit https://goodjobsdata.org/wp-content/uploads/Good-Jobs-States.pdf.   John Hakala from the US Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship in Alaska and Jackie Garcia from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development highlight Alaska apprenticeship programs on KTVA's Workforce Wednesday November 15, 2017.
Designated by the US Department of Labor, National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) is a National Celebration that offers leaders in business, labor, education, and other critical partners a chance to express their support for Apprenticeship. NAW also gives apprenticeship sponsors the opportunity to showcase their programs, facilities and apprentices in their community. The weekly events highlight the benefits of Apprenticeship in preparing a highly-skilled workforce to meet the talent needs of employers across diverse industries. Registration has started for the January 2018 distance-delivered “Introduction to Nautical Skills” course at AVTEC.
Students who complete the Nautical Skills course have access to grant funds and AVTEC personnel to assist them in becoming a FULLY credentialed, highly employable professional Mariner while STLLL in High School! If you have students who have already completed the full, 5-day Basic Training, please share the AB Employment Course Pathways document with them. Courses are REALLY filling up in the spring, so don't let your students miss out if they are serious about fast tracking themselves into a career in the Maritime Industry before they graduate. For more information, download the flyers below, contact Deb Burdick-Hinton at AVTEC, or visit AVTEC online at https://avtec.edu/. There's still time to register! Join your CTE colleagues at the 2017 Alaska ACTE Professional Development Conference! Conference Website Conference Flyer PDF Download  There is still time to register at reduced rates for the annual Alaska ACTE Professional Development Conference!
If you register by September 29, you will get the Early Bird rate of $395. After that, the fee is $470. Please register online at https://acte.logisticsllc.com/register/. The conference is October 31 - November 1, 2017, at the Anchorage Marriott, with a pre-conference day on October 30. Please visit the Alaska ACTE conference website for details on pre-conference sessions, keynote speakers, and more! https://acte.logisticsllc.com/. The Alaska Association for Career and Technical Education (Alaska ACTE) is soliciting nominations for its annual awards in the following categories:
For complete details, please visit the Alaska ACTE website: https://acte.logisticsllc.com/award-nominations/ ALASKA ACTE Professional Development Conference
October 30 – November 1, 2017 The 2017 Alaska Association for Career and Technical Education Professional Development Conference is the only statewide conference dedicated to the professional development of Career & Technical Education (CTE) professionals in Alaska. This year's conference offers exciting speakers, educational and industry tours, relevant training, and all things CTE. Attendees will have opportunities to network with peers and engage in rich discussion about the importance of rigorous CTE programs and workforce development in our state. Visit the Conference website or the specific links below for more information. From the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development's "DEED Information Exchange" April 14, 2017:
Juneau, Alaska Juneau High School and College Students Celebrate Completion of a House On April 21 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., students from the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) and the Juneau-Douglas High School are having an open house to celebrate the completion of Lena Loop House 2 at 16200 Lena Loop Road, on the corner or Point Lena Loop and Ocean View Drive. The House Build Project is a four-way partnership with the city of Juneau, the Juneau School District, the Juneau Housing Trust, and UAS to build affordable housing while training students in residential construction. The program gives high school and college students real-world experience planning and building a small house. Upon completion, the house will be sold to provide a family in Juneau with a new, durable, and energy-efficient home. Students participate in all aspects of the project including; design, construction, planning, estimating, interior and exterior finishing. Local resident Chava Lee noted in an email to the school, “The idea of working with the students to produce an incredible product is an amazing thing. We need more of this type of education. The houses are beautiful and a great addition to our neighborhood. I value having this type of instruction and mentoring available. Everyone involved should be very proud of what has been accomplished.” LIVE Webinar Series Invitation: Connecting Secondary Students to Apprenticeship Programs
To enrich our students’ high school experiences and secure a path to career and postsecondary success, communities across the country are strengthening the pipeline between CTE and apprenticeship. This U.S. Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) project explored programs that connect CTE students and apprenticeships. On April 26, 2017 at 2:00 pm ET, OCTAE welcomes a discussion of lessons learned from site visits to the eight CTE and apprenticeship programs examined under this project. Advance CTE, RTI International, and program representatives will share observations and explore implications for state and local leaders. Speakers:
https://vivayic.webex.com/vivayic/onstage/g.php?MTID=e4ee7ca96ae444d5ca239cba44dd96007 Questions about the webinar? Contact Scott Stump Office: 1-800-280-7272 ext. 713 Cell: (970) 580-8049 Email: sstump@vivayic.com The University of Alaska Anchorage is offering several programs for middle and high school students this summer, including Summer Science Camps and the Kids' College Summer Programs. Check out the links below for more information and to register for these great opportunities!
Mat-Su College Summer Science Camps
UAA Kids' College Summer Programs
From the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education:
From: akcis, ACPE (ACPE sponsored) [mailto:akcis@alaska.gov] Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2017 11:05 AM To: akcis@list.state.ak.us Subject: [akcis] APS Legislation Introduced Importance: High Greetings, Senate Bill 103, sponsored by the Senate Finance Committee was introduced on April 3rd. If passed, SB 103 would repeal, under a phase out plan, the existing statutes pertaining to the Alaska Performance Scholarship and Alaska Education Grant. The last students to be eligible for these programs would be the high school graduates of 2017 who apply by July 1, 2017. The bill would reallocate funds in the Alaska Higher Education Investment Fund, which funds the APS and AEG, to create an Alaska Education Innovation Grant Fund for grants to school districts. You can find a copy of the bill, which has been referred to the Education and Finance committees, here. The APS, created by the legislature in 2010, is designed to encourage Alaska students to excel in high school, graduate prepared for college & career training, complete that education and training in Alaska, and contribute to the Alaska workforce and economy. Information about how the APS delivers on those goals is provided here: If you wish to learn more about APS Outcomes after reviewing the attachments, go to: http://acpe.alaska.gov/REPORTS/Reports/APS_Outcomes_Report. We join the AdvanceCTE national consortium in welcoming Deb Riddle to the position of CTE Director for the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development! On March 28, 2017, Andrea Zimmerman, Senior Associate for Member Engagement and Leadership Development for AdvanceCTE, posted this blog entry:
Welcome to Alaska’s New State CTE Director, Deborah Riddle! Deborah Riddle was born in Glennallen, Alaska, and raised near Bristol Bay, on the western coast of the state. When she made her way many years later to southern Utah to be a teacher, there was one problem – it was just too hot. So Riddle and her husband began looking for jobs back home in Alaska, and as a back-up plan, “as close to the Canadian border as possible,” she said. That led her to Simms, Montana, to teach middle school math and science. When the school district also needed someone to teach Career Technical Education (CTE), Riddle stepped up. What first began with teaching traditional home economics classes then grew into robotics classes and even helping start and support related Career Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) at the local high school. After 15 years in Montana, home was still calling, so Riddle took a position with the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. She started at the State department five years ago doing school improvement focusing on mathematics. For the past year, Riddle has managed the state’s federal funding under Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The state department recently reorganized, and with those changes, Riddle’s responsibilities expanded, including the title of State CTE Director and responsibilities of managing another source of federal funding through the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins). Riddle said she is excited by the prospects of making connections across the federal education laws to maximize funding and other opportunities for Alaska’s students. Since being named the State Director in February, she has been learning all that she can about CTE in Alaska, and said she has been so impressed by the depth and diversity of the stakeholder support she sees for CTE at the local level, especially the connections to employers, community colleges and workforce development. “I knew there were partnerships, but I didn’t realize how many and how varied there were and what (stakeholder engagement) can really add to a program,” she said. Riddle said she is also looking to bolster CTSOs in Alaska and continuing to strengthen and overcome the unique challenges to offering CTE for the state’s most rural schools. |