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| Alaska
Workforce Investment Board |
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| Dr.
Alice J. Galvin, Chair |
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The
Alaska Workforce Investment Board (AWIB) provides
policy oversight to the Governor and Legislature
regarding state and federally funded job training
and vocational education programs. Members of
the AWIB represent stakeholder groups in workforce
development, bringing together public and private
sector training providers with employers so that
the right people are being trained for the right
jobs. Council members look at employment trends
and emerging occupations to customize training
and prepare Alaskans for high demand jobs. |
A major restructuring of the federal workforce
development system has significantly affected
Alaska’s job training and vocational education
programs.The Job Training Partnership Act system
was eliminated and replaced by the Federal Workforce
Investment Act of 1998 (WIA). Programs were consolidated
and the nation's workforce investment system was
streamlined. WIA took effect in Alaska on July
1, 2000. To prepare for the change, the AWIB coordinated
a WIA implementation plan for Alaska with 100
volunteer stakeholders.
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After
a year of operating under the new system, the
AWIB submitted the State
of Alaska Workforce Investment Act Title 1-B Annual
Report 2000 to the federal government on December
3, 2001.
To gauge the imbalance between workforce demand
and the availability of qualified workers to fill
skilled jobs, the council commissioned a white
paper. The paper discusses the workforce shortage
and examines the opportunities such a shortage
presents to Alaskans who are currently unemployed
or who lack education or training.
In
May 2000, the Alaska Legislature passed Senate
Bill 289, which required that the AWIB study
and help facilitate a statewide vocational technical
education system. The AWIB has developed a statewide
plan for a coordinated and effective technical
and vocational education training system. Alaska’s
Future Workforce Strategic Policies and Investment
Blueprint identifies ways for agencies operating
programs to share resources, instructors, and
curricula through collaboration with other public
and private entities to increase training opportunities
and reduce costs.
To
implement some of the recommendations contained
in the Blueprint, the AWIB worked with U.S.
Senator Ted Stevens to issue a solicitation
for proposals for regional training centers
on May 1, 2001. A news release and Request for
Proposals (RFP) follows:
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The
council recently completed a study entitled "Development
of Regional Training Centers in Rural Alaska -
Recommendations from the Alaska Workforce Investment
Board." The study was requested by Senator
Stevens' staff to help determine the feasibility
of state or federal funding of regional vocational/technical
training centers.
Members of the AWIB are appointed by the Governor
and represent stakeholder groups in workforce
development. Council members look at employment
trends and emerging occupations to customize training
and prepare Alaskans for high demand jobs. They
also ensure that public and private sector training
providers connect with employers so the right
people are being trained for the right jobs.
In
order to maximize employment opportunities for
participants in the Alaska technical and vocational
education program, the AWIB adopts a priority
list each year based on economic, employment,
and other relevant data. Current occupational
priorities are Construction, Health Care, Information
Technology and Transportation.
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In
partnership with the Department of Labor’s
Research and Analysis Section, the AWIB has produced
and delivered to the Governor and Legislature
three annual program performance evaluation reports
of state-funded workforce development programs.
A fourth report, on FY 2000 performance, will
be submitted to the Legislature on February 5,
2002.
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