Alaska, Yukon will work together to develop mining industry training
Under a Memorandum of Agreement signed last week, Alaska and Yukon will cooperate on training opportunities for jobs in the mining industry.
Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Dianne Blumer and University of Alaska Associate Vice President of Workforce Programs Fred Villa represented Alaska. Yukon Minister of Education Scott Kent and President of Yukon College Karen Barnes represented Yukon.
“Alaska and Yukon have some very similar workforce needs. With this agreement, we can work together to coordinate and develop world-class training to fill these needs,” said Commissioner Blumer. “Both the University of Alaska and Yukon College have specialized mine training programs that can benefit from coordination.”
The Alaska Department of Labor’s latest industry forecast indicates the state will add almost 500 jobs in mining and support activities by 2020, and will need to fill hundreds more to replace workers who retire or change occupations.
The agreement is an outcome of the Alaska-Yukon Intergovernmental Relations Accord signed by Governor Sean Parnell and Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloski in June, which focuses on promoting beneficial job training, energy production and economic development.
“There is mutual benefit for Yukon and Alaska to share mining-related educational programming and information,” Education Minister Kent said. “This Memorandum of Agreement provides an opportunity for further cooperation in the pursuit of our similar needs and interests.”