6 ALASKA RESOURCE REVIEW FALL 2024 THE RESOURCE INDUSTRIES THAT MAKE UP ALASKA’S ECONOMY MADE GREAT PROGRESS THIS PAST SUMMER, ADVANCING PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES THAT WILL KEEP ALASKANS WORKING. As we enter fall, another of Alaska’s resources returns to the classroom to prepare to enter tomorrow’s job market. Alaska Resource Education (ARE) is right there, educating Alaska’s most valuable resource on the job opportunities our great state affords them. This past summer, ARE expanded their repertoire to include a Natural Resource Teacher Externship. The week-long field trip is designed to blend firsthand experiences and tours with in-classroom learning. This includes tours of both non-renewable and renewable energy, and minerals sites, to learn about the resources and the associated careers, as well as training locations and programs to help students move from high school into industry careers. Training teachers about the importance of Alaska’s natural resources, including oil and gas, mining, and renewable energy, is crucial in preparing the future workforce to understand and to value the state’s unique natural and economic assets. The Natural Resource Management Externship for teachers is a 3-credit University of Alaska continuing education course. This year, the teacher credits for the course were sponsored by Marathon Petroleum. ARE is working with Hilcorp to offer a future Natural Resource Teacher Externship to Prudhoe Bay and the heart of Alaska’s energy sector. Why does this matter so much to the future of our industries? Consider this: teachers are all college-educated practitioners of their content area. And teachers really do not get enough credit for the challenging work they do. But when it comes to advising students about their future, college is what they know and where they direct their students. That is wonderful, and I am not and never would downplay the power of a college education, but there are many paths to get there. I was a commercial pilot before I pursued a post-secondary education. Like me, many students need time for their passions to take hold. My passion for aviation led me to college. Many students don’t know what they want to do for the rest of their lives when they graduate. Perhaps knowing that they can get an excellent job in an industry they love may ignite their passion, while providing both perspective and money, and making a college education more purposeful and affordable. As part of the Anchorage School District’s progressive Academies of Anchorage this fall and next spring semester, ARE is teaching a portion of a natural resource management year-long course at Dimond High School. The class syllabus covers Alaska lands: rocks, minerals, and mining; electricity, renewable energy, non-renewable energy; economics; careers, and new technology. The spring semester will include oceans, fisheries, wildlife, the environment, maritime and mariculture, forestry, and a sustainable design challenge. The vision for the future is to offer this class for both the Dimond and West High School Natural Resource academy pathways. Dimond teacher Cat Walker, who is also Alaska’s Teacher of the year in 2024, is leading the charge. Cat is embracing the support of ARE to make her classes more hands-on and well rounded. Many other teachers will follow her as the pathway grows in her school and beyond. This collaboration is changing student perspectives on careers in Alaska’s resource-driven industries. ASD recently held its first Freshman Academy Career Expo. I went down to the Dena’ina Center to check out the Expo, and what I saw was incredible. Approximately 4,000 students were engaging with adults in their community about jobs that they find interesting. You could see relationships developing as students asked about the career paths of the hundreds of adults who volunteered their time. As we work to build Alaska’s future workforce, collaborations like these will surely pay huge dividends. More than that, students are seeing how much their community cares about them, about their success today and tomorrow. INNOVATIVE TRAINING KEEPS ALASKA’S FUTURE BRIGHT “Consider volunteering some of your time with the youth in your community. I encourage all of you to get engaged with this work. There is little that matters more!” — Scott Habberstad, RDC Board President
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