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ETA News Release: [07/05/2005]
Contact Name: David James or Stephanie Cathcart
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676
Release Number: 05-1217-SEA

U.S. Secretary of Labor Visits Anchorage to Announce $7 Million Grant to Train Alaskan Workers for Energy Industry Careers

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao was in Anchorage today to announce a $7 million grant to the Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development to increase the state's capacity to recruit and train workers for careers in the energy industry.

The grant is the first in a series of investments the Labor Department will make in the energy sector under the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative. Secretary Chao was joined for the announcement at University of Alaska — Anchorage campus by U.S. Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska).

"Alaska's vast energy resources continue to create a demand for skilled workers," said Secretary Chao. “This $7 million grant will help train a pipeline of workers with cutting-edge skills for good jobs in the energy sector of Alaska 's economy.”

Working with education, industry, and union partners, Alaska will integrate vocational and technical education and increase the use of apprenticeships to train workers. The grant will also continue to develop the public workforce system's One-Stop Career Centers to become more industry-driven in addressing local economic needs.

“Energy resources are the bedrock of Alaska's past and future. This grant will bring together many Alaska organizations along with the state's Job Center Network to sustain the energy industry's growth with sufficient human talent trained and ready for rewarding careers,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco. “Alaska 's energy sector is creating not only plenty of its own opportunities as it continues to expand but many others in related fields, such as construction.”

Through the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative, the Department of Labor has been conducting executive forums with leaders of expanding industries to identify critical workforce gaps and issues. Solutions are chosen and are carried out in cooperation with employers, educational institutions and the public workforce system. For more information, visit www.doleta.gov/BRG/JobTrainInitiative/.

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