School-to-business partnerships give students link to Alaska jobs: with 43,000 new jobs on the horizon, today's students need to be prepared to fill these positions.

With construction of a natural as pipeline approaching reality, economists predict 43,000 new jobs will be added to Alaska's economy in the decade ending in 2012.

The administration of Gov. Frank H. Murkowski is committed to making sure Alaskan students graduate from high school, vocational training or college with the qualifications needed to fill these jobs-whether in traditional sectors, such as construction or tourism, or in emerging fields, such as health sciences or transportation logistics.

Approximately half of these new jobs will require a four-year college degree, leaving traditional college-prep classroom tracks a good option for students to follow.

But many of these new jobs will demand students who leave high school prepared to begin careers as apprentices or trainees-particularly in the fields of transportation, construction and resource extraction.

Across the state, schools are standing out in their innovative drive to prepare students for the jobs Alaska's economy is expected to bring.

A NEW DIRECTION

In Fairbanks, for example, the James T. Hutchison High School opened with a focus on technical and career education. Don't look for traditional wood shop or auto shop classes. Instead, students enroll in carpentry, architectural drafting, small engines-motorcycle/ ATV or medical terminology, taught in state-of-the-art facilities with professional equipment.

"We're trying to repackage secondary education in a way that is meaningful to kids and also aligned with real-world opportunities," said Principal Bill McLeod.

To meet this goal, Hutchison actively seeks school-to-business partnerships, an education reform the governor strongly supports. "School-to-business partnerships work. Knowing how knowledge and skills learned in school can translate into a job helps young people understand the reason for staying in school and working hard," Murkowski said.

"In 2004, I signed a bill that gives schools the largest dollar increase ever to the school-funding formula. We have made that investment because I believe in our future, our children and our state. But we know that a quality education means more than money," he said.

Many of Alaska's technical high schools organize their instruction around "career clusters," which have been established by a national organization.

According to the organization's Web site (www.careerclusters.org), career clusters are a group of 16 occupations and broad industries that provide an organizing tool for schools, small learning communities, academies and magnet schools.

The group's Web site further explains that career clusters recognize that workers increasingly change careers because of economic changes and technological advances. Career clusters link academic basics with specific skills needed for success in the workplace. Ideally, a student will leave school more prepared to make the career adjustments brought on by a continually changing global economy.

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS

Career clusters also provide a framework for school-to-business partnerships.

Hutchison High School focuses on five career clusters for its 400 or so students: architecture and construction; transportation, distribution and logistics; health sciences and human services; information technology; and arts, audiovisual and communications.

Through the Fairbanks school district's School-Business Partnership program, McLeod moved quickly to forge formal links between the newly opened school and area businesses.

"We want to graduate students with real skills needed in the job market-and have a solid foundation in reading, writing and arithmetic," McLeod said.

"These business partnerships bring a reality check by keeping us in tune to the kind of standards and expectations employers will have for those they hire."

One partnership is with Adient Orthopedic Physical Therapy, which provides the school with an athletic trainer, and helped provide equipment for the school's athletic-training classroom.

NAPA Auto Parts was the school's first business partner. "NAPA stepped forward to help our auto body classes, and sent one of our teachers to paint training out of state, and picked up all the costs," McLeod said.

Another important partnership is with the Fort Knox Gold Mine.

On its end, Fort Knox provides mentors, classroom materials, field trip opportunities and guest instructors. Hutchison High School commits to "graduate students better prepared to enter the work force," and "provide opportunities to recruit potential employees."

Lorna Shaw, the mining company's community affairs director, said there's a lot of enthusiasm about the partnership with Hutchison High School. "We've had a hard time recruiting for some positions. Mining isn't pick and shovel work anymore. It's very technical, and we need workers with good technical skills-particularly diesel mechanics, maintenance mechanics and welders."

In order to better prepare its graduates, Hutchison places a focus on professional certifications, for example the CISCO networking academy for students studying Information Technology. Likewise, students in welding classes have instruction that is tailored to entry-level guidelines set by the American Welding Society. While students in health sciences can work toward EMT certification.

Students who graduate with welding certification can move directly into the work force, Shaw said.

With the oil and gas and mining industries in mind, the Tanana Valley Campus of the UAF College of Rural Alaska offers an associate's degree in process technology. Following the theme of preparing Alaskans for Alaska jobs, the program prepares students for employment as technicians in oil and gas production, mining and milling, transportation and refining, utilities, wastewater treatment and facilities maintenance.

SCHOOLS PREPARE FOR CAREERS

Most Alaska school districts offer some vocational or career education within established schools.

The King Career Center in Anchorage offers a range of courses from advertising to rescue technology. In the Mat-Su, however, the school district's Career and Technical Education Department provides district-wide instruction in different schools. Agriculture and natural resources is based at Palmer High School while welding technology is at Colony High.

These schools make an effort to offer courses uniquely relevant to Alaska students.

The King Career Center offers a course of study called rescue technology. Students earn certifications for CPR and first aid, as well as for handling hazardous materials, performing high-angle rescues and emergency dispatching.

The Alaska Railroad earned national kudos for its school-business partnership program. Schools, such as the King Career Center, teach a specialized course combining knowledge of Alaska history, geography and economics with public speaking, first aid and customer-service skills. Successful graduates are employed by the railroad for the summer tour season.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game developed a school-business partnership with the Anchorage school district, involving close to 100 classrooms. Department biologists worked with around 2,000 students to raise coho salmon fry, which were later released in area lakes.

Recognizing Alaskans love of outdoor recreation, McLeod said a priority was made for instruction in small-engine repair. "Alaskans love their outdoor toys, so there's always a need for trained small-engine mechanics," he said. Hutchison offers basic and advanced small-engine repair classes for motorcycles/ATVs and snowmobiles/outboards.

"Sometimes students need a window into their future, or simply an introduction to a career they didn't know existed," the governor said. "Good schools that offer relevant and engaging opportunities are important to make Alaska a place of promise, where students can find a good-paying job-in Alaska-and a long-term career that can support a family."

Other Alaska schools, such as the Alaska Vocational Technical Center and a program in Galena, are set up for older students who have graduated from high school.

AVTEC, run by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, is located in Seward and Anchorage. Its main campus in Seward is a residential training center not unlike a community college and can arguably be considered the state's premier technical training facility.

AVTEC's satellite campus in Anchorage focuses on certified nurse assistant and licensed practical nurse training.

Many course programs are tied directly to Alaska employment, with the Alaska Maritime Training Center in Seward a prime example. The center incorporates its state-of-the-art multi-bridge simulator to prepare for Coast Guard certification as master mates, able seamen or radar operators.

Alaska's community colleges also work with industry to prepare graduates for specific jobs.

Most of AVTEC's 16 certificate programs are nationally accredited and coordinated with the University of Alaska for credit toward completion of an associate's degree.

AVTEC is successfully placing Alaskan students in Alaska jobs. AVTEC graduates enjoy some of the highest employment rates in the state; in 2003, 94 percent of graduates were placed in jobs they'd been trained for. Graduates can also expect to be well-compensated by their employers: the average post-training wage was more than $36,000 per year.

Student success at schools, such as AVTEC or Hutchison High School, is due to a philosophy of hands-on industry-certified programs boosted by staff support-such as tutors and counselors-working in unison to help students achieve their training and employment goals.

The department also has taken direct action, working with oil companies and trade unions to train 100 pipeline construction apprentices. Graduates of the program will be qualified for positions this winter in the West Sak oilfield.

Alaska's economy is entering an exciting time of increasing opportunity. Alaska's public schools are on board, and continue to prepare students for exciting careers in Alaska.

Greg O'Claray is commissioner of Labor and Workplace Development. Before joining the administration of Gov. Frank Murkowski, O'Claray was director of legislative and government affairs for District 1 of the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association. The commissioner has served on the Juneau Port Development Council, the Alaska State AFL-CIO, the Juneau Central Labor Council and the Juneau Chamber of Commerce.