Legislature(2009 - 2010)CAPITOL 106
01/30/2009 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Department of Education and Early Development's Vocational Education Program at Mt. Edgecumbe High School and the Workkeys Program | |
| Department of Labor & Workforce Development - Alaska Vocational Technical Center (avtec) | |
| Overview(s): University of Alaska – Workforce Training Program | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
January 30, 2009
8:07 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Paul Seaton, Chair
Representative Cathy Engstrom Munoz, Vice Chair
Representative Bryce Edgmon
Representative Wes Keller
Representative Peggy Wilson
Representative Robert L. "Bob" Buch
Representative Berta Gardner
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
OVERVIEW(S):
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT'S VOCATIONAL
EDUCATION PROGRAM AT MT. EDGECUMBE HIGH SCHOOL AND THE WORKKEYS
PROGRAM
- HEARD
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT - ALASKA VOCATIONAL
TECHNICAL CENTER (AVTEC)
- HEARD
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA - WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAM
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
EDDY JEANS, Director
School Finance and Facilities Section
Department of Education and Early Development (EED)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information regarding the
vocational programs that are currently offered at Mt. Edgecumbe
High School, and responded to questions.
MARCIA OLSON, Education Specialist
Teaching and Learning Support
Department of Education and Early Development (EED)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided an overview of the WorkKeys
Program, also known as the Alaska Career Ready Program.
CLARK "CLICK" BISHOP, Commissioner
Department of Labor & Workforce Development (DOLWD)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of the WorkKeys
Program, and provided information regarding the Alaska
Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC).
GUY BELL, Assistant Commissioner
Office of the Commissioner
Department of Labor & Workforce Development (DLWD)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented an overview of the department.
FRED ESPOSITO, Director
Alaska Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC)
Division of Business Partnership
Department of Labor & Workforce Development (DLWD)
Seward, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented an overview on behalf of the
AVTEC.
FRED VILLA, Associate Vice President
Workforce Development
Statewide Programs, University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented an overview on behalf of the
University of Alaska Workforce Programs.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:07:22 AM
CHAIR PAUL SEATON called the House Education Standing Committee
meeting to order at 8:07 a.m. Representatives Seaton, Keller,
Munoz, Wilson, Edgmon, Gardner, and Buch were present at the
call to order.
^OVERVIEW(S):
^DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT'S VOCATIONAL
EDUCATION PROGRAM AT MT. EDGECUMBE HIGH SCHOOL AND THE WORKKEYS
PROGRAM
8:07:36 AM
CHAIR SEATON announced that the first order of business would be
an overview from the Department of Education and Early
Development on the vocational education program at Mt. Edgecumbe
High School, and the WorkKeys Program.
8:09:33 AM
EDDY JEANS, Director, School Finance and Facilities Section,
Department of Education and Early Development (EED), listed the
vocational programs that are currently offered at Mt. Edgecumbe
High School: construction, health and emergency medical
technician (EMT), computer, welding, introduction to business,
and business concepts.
8:11:28 AM
MARCIA OLSON, Education Specialist, Teaching and Learning
Support (TLS), Department of Education and Early Development
(EED), said EED refers to the WorkKeys Program as the Alaska
Career Ready Program because it includes more than just WorkKeys
elements. The program ensures that Alaskan students, and job-
seekers, have the applied academic, or foundational, skills that
are required in various careers. Three of those foundational
skills are: applied mathematics, reading for information, and
locating information in visual formats.
8:13:31 AM
MS. OLSON pointed out that Alaska Career Ready provides the
opportunity for students/ job-seekers to: assess their
foundational skills, practice and improve those skills, learn
what foundational skills are required by various careers, and
document their skills by earning a nationally recognized
certificate called a Career Readiness Certificate. The program
is a joint effort between EED and the Department of Labor &
Workforce Development (DLWD).
8:14:44 AM
MS. OLSON explained that the Alaska Career Ready Program is
based on WorkKeys, a job skills analysis and assessment system
developed by the ACT Company ("ACT"), a company known for its
college entrance exam. The WorkKeys system is housed in ACT's
Workforce Development Division, she said. The WorkKeys system
is specifically geared towards foundational skills as they are
used in the workplace; establishing specific skill sets, skill
levels, and a measurement system so that employers, students,
and job seekers have a common denominator when referencing
career requirements. The system helps a student to make a
direct connection between school and what is required for job
placement.
8:15:44 AM
MS. OLSON said ACT analyzed over 15,000 specific jobs, called
job profiling, in order to develop the WorkKeys system. Through
these profiles, ACT determined the skill areas important for
most careers, which includes the three aforementioned
foundational skills. Within each of the skill areas, ACT
determined varying complexities or levels of the skills, and
each job profile gives a report on the level of every skill that
is required for success in that type of a job. The job profiles
are kept in a database which ACT makes available to the public.
This job profiling is the basis of the WorkKeys system. Based
on those job profiles, ACT developed assessments for each skill
area, enabling individuals to discover how their abilities
compare with specific skills required for various career
opportunities. She related that a person must score the minimum
level on assessments for each of the three aforementioned
foundational skills to earn a nationally recognized Career
Readiness Certificate. This certificate is sanctioned by the
ACT Company and lists the skills in which a person has
demonstrated proficiency. Various forms of the WorkKeys system
are used in approximately 25 states, by employers, schools, and
job training programs.
8:17:42 AM
MS. OLSON pointed out that the Alaska Career Ready system also
has an instructional component, to be used for skill
improvements. This web-based instruction is provided by an
independent curriculum company, the Worldwide Interactive
Network (WIN). The software provides practice tests, or
placement tests, to determine initial skill levels. The program
has a built-in management system that records each learner's
progress, thus providing an individualized program that anyone
can work through on their own.
MS. OlSON said current education regulations require that
assessments for this program be given to Alaska's public school
students starting with the 2009-2010 school year. Eleventh
graders will receive WorkKeys basements in the three
foundational areas: applied mathematics, reading for
information, and locating information. Sixth and eighth graders
will be required to take the informal, practice placement tests
that are part of the instructional software; not actual WorkKeys
tests. She informed members that EED is currently providing
assessment training and technical support for Alaska's schools.
8:20:08 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ requested clarity on which students would
be taking the tests.
MS. OLSON said that eleventh graders will be required to take
the actual WorkKeys test, and the sixth and eighth graders will
be administered the informal placement test.
8:21:18 AM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON requested further explanation of how the
test will assist someone in determining their ability areas.
MS. OLSON explained that the test can indicate what skills a
person holds in the various WorkKeys areas. The test taker will
then be able to access job profiles for different careers and
compare their skills to those that are recommended for success
in a particular career.
MR. JEANS clarified that this assessment does not determine that
a person is qualified for a specific job, rather it tells an
employer that a person has the skills to be trained to do a
specific job.
8:22:02 AM
MS. OLSON, in further response to Representative Wilson, agreed
that the assessment can be used for career information and
career guidance. However, she explained, the skills tested by
WorkKeys are for basic applied academics and are not for
determining how good someone is in welding, computer
programming, or other technical skills.
8:23:24 AM
REPRESENTATIVE BUCH asked for statistical information regarding
how many employers, nationwide, utilize this program.
MS. OLSON said she will prepare a response to the committee, if
it is available from the ACT Company.
8:23:45 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER inquired how BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc.
(BP) utilizes this program.
MS. OLSON said she believes that BP requires an aspect of the
WorkKeys assessments for its process technician jobs in
conjunction with other requirements such as education and drug
testing. WorkKeys assessments are offered at some of the
state's job centers, she continued, and at the University of
Alaska, Anchorage, Chugiak-Eagle River Campus. In further
response to Representative Gardner, Ms. Olson agreed that there
are alternatives for people who do not go through the standard
education process.
8:25:04 AM
MS. OLSON, in response to Chair Seaton, said a "crosswalk" of
the WorkKeys skills with Alaska's state standards has not been
done because the WorkKeys Program and testing are fairly new.
"We are looking at ... comparing the scores of kids who took the
high school qualifying exam and then the WorkKeys to see how
they did, but we don't have a lot of data on that yet," she
said.
CHAIR SEATON specified that the committee wants to make sure the
state is not layering tests that measure the same thing. He
said he would appreciate it if the department would specifically
look at this. Career testing is vital, particularly for
students who are not proceeding to college, but it is important
not to duplicate and put another burden on the classroom and the
achievement of those skills, he stressed.
8:27:24 AM
CHAIR SEATON questioned the completeness of the WorkKeys sample
certificate, contained in the committee packet.
MS. OLSON noted that the sample National Career Readiness
Certificate was only copied on the front side. The back of an
actual certificate, she continued, provides a list of the skills
that were demonstrated. She said the last two pages of that
same handout have a complete listing of all the WorkKeys skills
and their different levels.
8:28:32 AM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON pondered the effectiveness of the lower
grade children taking the WorkKeys test.
MS. OLSON reiterated that sixth and eighth graders take an on-
line practice test; the eleventh graders take the actual
WorkKeys test. In further response to Representative Wilson,
she said the department hopes schools will use the information
from the sixth and eighth grade practice tests for career
planning and career guidance so that students will be aware of
the requirements for different jobs and understand that the
academic skills they are learning now will be used later in the
workplace.
MR. JEANS interjected that Ms. Olson visits the school districts
to provide appropriate teacher training for administration of
the tests. He said she also instructs teachers how to utilize
the assessment results, and how to guide students in accessing
information on various jobs to see how their scores relate to
career possibilities.
8:30:21 AM
MS. OLSON, in response to a further question from Representative
Wilson, replied that the department is establishing a follow-up
process to ascertain that the school districts are using the
practice test results to guide students. She reminded the
committee that the program is still in its infancy. Her follow
up work, with phone calls, emails, and report review indicates
which schools are using the various aspects of the program.
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON commented that it would be good to know
which schools are participating so they can receive help and be
more successful.
MR. JEANS reiterated that the State Board of Education & Early
Development passed regulations that will require these
assessments to be given in the 2009-2010 school year. A pilot
program was implemented in various school districts to determine
how to deal with kinks in the program before the full
implementation. Under the regulation, the program was to be
implemented this year, however the department required more time
to prepare.
8:32:24 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER asked about the funding for the program.
MS. OLSON stated her belief that general funds were received to
pay ACT for the WorkKeys tests and to pay for the instructional
software site licenses for each of the school districts. In
further response, she said that funds are not directed
specifically to the districts.
8:33:37 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER queried how Alaska's scores compare
nationwide.
MS. OLSON replied that comparisons have not been tracked. She
offered to look into whether the ACT Company would be willing to
provide comparison data between states.
8:34:29 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ inquired how the participation requirement
will be implemented.
MS. OLSON said that the school districts will be required to
participate, when the regulations go into effect in the 2009-
2010 school year. However, the department has already made all
of the tools available to the districts, and there have been
some pilot programs over the past two years. In further
response, she explained how an eleventh grader, dissatisfied
with their scores, may re-take the test in the same year or in
twelfth grade; provided they utilize the instructional software
prior to re-testing. The department is coordinating with the
university system to coordinate using the test scores when
reviewing enrollment applications.
MR. JEANS reminded members that this is a collaborative effort
with DLWD.
8:36:50 AM
REPRESENTATIVE BUCH asked about presenting career information to
grade school students.
MS. OLSON pointed out that many schools have career activities
in the lower grades. The WIN instructional courseware has
hundreds of career activity lessons geared towards kindergarten
through eighth grade students. She said she shows all of these
different resources to the teachers and school counselors when
she conducts training.
8:38:43 AM
MS. OLSON, in response to Chair Seaton, agreed to provide log-in
information to committee members that will allow them to access
the referenced tests and materials.
8:39:43 AM
CHAIR SEATON commented that vocational education is a focus of
the Alaska State Board of Education & Early Development and
previous legislatures, which may account, he opined, for why
this program has a become a requirement in the schools.
The committee took a brief at ease from 8:41 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
^DEPARTMENT OF LABOR & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT - ALASKA VOCATIONAL
TECHNICAL CENTER (AVTEC)
8:45:15 AM
CHAIR SEATON announced that the next order of business would be
an overview of the Department of Labor & Workforce Development's
Alaska Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC).
8:45:28 AM
CLARK "CLICK" BISHOP, Commissioner, Department of Labor &
Workforce Development (DLWD), outlined his interest in the
WorkKeys project, and for working with the Department of
Education and Early Development (EED). Alaska's schools can do
better in preparing high school graduates for the work
world/higher education, he opined. WorkKeys five areas of
protocol are the same areas that are considered when the Joint
Apprenticeship & Training Council (JATC) recruits for
apprentices. A students "A" performance in Barrow and a "B" in
Ketchikan do not mean the same thing, yet that is how students
are ranked, he argued. As an example, he spoke about a welding
program that was attended by students with a "B" average in
mathematics. The welding class had to be put on hold for a week
to allow a tutor to provide basic mathematics instruction.
COMMISSIONER BISHOP stated his belief that WorkKeys could help
move up Alaska's graduation rate from 62 percent to 85 or 90
percent, because it enables students to begin reviewing 15,000
job possibilities as early as sixth grade. School counselors
cannot serve every student in the state, he contended, and that
is why the legislature funded the youth career guides in the
schools. WorkKeys is another tool to help students become
interested in a career. Seeing the name of a job that a student
has never heard of might spike an interest that will lead them
to investigate the job further, whereas prior to WorkKeys a
student would not have had the information to even ask the
question.
8:50:19 AM
CHAIR SEATON agreed that coordination between the departments is
essential because of the overlap between education and workforce
development.
COMMISSIONER BISHOP offered to work individually with committee
members to help them gain a better understanding of the WorkKeys
Program.
REPRESENTATIVE BUCH concurred that these issues are inter-
related. He noted that the House Finance Committee will be the
ultimate determine, and he urged members to attend the House
Labor and Commerce Standing Committee meetings to learn more
about these issues.
8:52:15 AM
COMMISSIONER BISHOP commenced with his presentation regarding
AVTEC. He noted that there is no "I" in the spelling of the
word "T-E-A-M". To be successful in fulfilling its mission,
DLWD must seek the counsel of others. He read from a letter he
recently wrote to President Hamilton, University of Alaska,
Fairbanks, regarding the state's current and future skills gap,
and the current wage export of $1.7 billion:
I am seeking your support to develop a strategy for
the post-secondary systems for career and technical
education in this state to assure that they are
aligned to train and educate our citizens without
needless duplications of programs and state ... or
federal investments.
COMMISSIONER BISHOP emphasized that his department works
diligently to prevent needless duplication of effort.
8:55:53 AM
GUY BELL, Assistant Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner,
Department of Labor & Workforce Development (DLWD), outlined the
two broad functions within the department's mission, as
indicated on slide 2 they are: 1) a focus on workplace safety,
and 2) legal workforce conditions. He said the first is
regulatory in nature and the second relates to the department's
workforce development efforts.
MR. BELL described how the office of Research and Analysis,
Division of Administration, DLWD, provides basic labor market
information, including demographic data and workforce
projections. The department monitors training program
performance and provides reports to the legislature on a regular
basis regarding various labor market data. For instance, today
the department is releasing a report to the legislature on
nonresidents employed in Alaska, the percentage of nonresidents,
and wage information by occupation and industry.
8:57:33 AM
MR. BELL said the Division of Employment Security offers basic
employment assistance through the department's 23 job centers
located throughout the state, as well as assistance through a
web-based labor exchange system. The Alaska Vocational
Technical Center (AVTEC), located in Seward and Anchorage, is
the department's primary direct vocational training provider.
The Division of Business Partnership offers grants to entities
that provide training. The Division of Employment Security pays
unemployment insurance benefits and offers training accounts to
individuals identified as program eligible. The Division of
Vocational Rehabilitation assists people who have disabilities
in obtaining employment.
MR. BELL, in regard to the regulatory aspect, said DLWD enforces
the state's wage and hour laws and focuses on workplace safety
through the Occupational Safety & Health Program. The Division
of Workers' Compensation and the Alaska Workers' Compensation
Appeals Commission adjudicate compensation claims. Lastly, he
pointed out that the department collects unemployment insurance
taxes.
8:59:28 AM
MR. BELL discussed Alaska's labor market [slide 3]. He said the
department's economist's project that Alaska's workforce will
grow by 44,000 jobs between 2006 and 2016. He offered to
provide a link to the department's web site where members will
find the department's recently released report on workforce
projections. In response to Representative Wilson, Mr. Bell
explained that the workforce baseline was the year 2006 and the
projection goes forward to 2016. He noted that this projection
does not include construction of the main gas line, and the
department intends to add a layer of data regarding gas line
workforce projects.
9:01:14 AM
MR. BELL, in response to Representative Munoz, confirmed that
there is an occupational projection for the career sectors that
the 44,000 jobs will be in, and he agreed to provide that data
to the committee.
9:01:31 AM
MR. BELL said Alaska's workforce is aging and focus must be
brought to for replacing the highly skilled workers who are
retiring. Alaska's current unemployment rate is 7.5 percent,
indicating that in any month there are a significant number of
people seeking employment. Alaska imports workers, he
continued, and last year it imported 78,000 workers, about 20
percent of the state's workforce.
9:02:22 AM
MR. BELL pointed out that in 2007 nonresident workers earned
over $1.7 billion in wages in Alaska, about 13 percent of the
state's total wage and salary earnings, slide 4. Nonresident
workers in the high wage, high skill jobs category accounted for
about 29 percent of oil industry workers, which is down a couple
of percentage points from the last year that data was available;
however, the earnings increased from $327 million to $364
million. A significant amount of money is leaving Alaska's
economy, he remarked.
9:03:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER noted that slide 4 indicates nonresident
earnings just over 13 percent of the state's total wages and
salaries, but slide 3 shows that 20 percent of the workers are
nonresident.
MR. BELL said there is a typo on slide 4 and directed the
committee to correct the data year to reflect 2007, not 2006.
He explained that many of the nonresident workers are relatively
low wage and seasonal, so that brings down their share of the
total earnings relative to their proportion in the population.
For instance, a large number of nonresident workers are in the
seafood processing and tourism industries. In response to Chair
Seaton, he confirmed that the title on slide 4 should read 2007,
not 2006.
9:06:02 AM
MR. BELL stated that the department's other area of focus is
Alaska's youth; slide 5. He introduced Tom Nelson, Director of
the Division of Employment Security, seated in the gallery, as
the lead for the department's connection with the WorkKeys
Program. He informed members that every year about 11,000
Alaskans who become 18, and there is a significant number of
Alaskans between the ages of 16 and 19 who are completely
disengaged, being out of school or work, and they need to be
reached.
9:06:32 AM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON surmised that youth who are not working or
going to school tend to get into trouble.
MR. BELL stated his belief that it is a probability and said it
is difficult to reach these young people. The department has
specific programs focused on connecting with the those that are
disengaged and likely to get into trouble.
9:07:14 AM
CHAIR SEATON inquired whether WorkKeys is used in any of the
state's youth detention facilities.
MR. BELL replied he must defer to an expert as to how WorkKeys
is delivered to these facilities. The department receives some
funding that is targeted toward entities offering services to
high risk youth, he said. Additionally, grants are available to
these organizations, and the department has a partnership with
the federal Job Corps program.
9:08:35 AM
MR. BELL acknowledged that there are issues with Alaska's
graduation rates and with Alaska's youth leaving the state for
opportunities elsewhere; slide 5. He opined that an 18-year-old
leaving the state for work or school may not return, whereas a
person receiving vocational or university education in Alaska is
likely to stay.
CHAIR SEATON recalled statistics that support Mr. Bell's
aforementioned information.
9:10:08 AM
MR. BELL said the department's total budget, based on its fiscal
year 2010 request, is just over $175 million; slide 6. The
general fund amount is $31 million, a very small share of the
total state operating budget. Federal funds account for $85
million of the department's budget and $58 million comes from
other state funding sources.
9:10:49 AM
MR. BELL drew attention to a bar graph for funding of the
workforce development program; slide 7. He explained that the
state's adult education program is administered by DLWD through
grants - funded with a combination of federal and general fund
dollars. Vocational rehabilitation is largely federally funded,
but it does receive a match from state general funds. The
business services component administers the department's
Workforce Investment Act programs, the Alaska Youth First
programs, and the construction academies, and that it focuses on
providing grants to entities for training and associated
services. He explained that "employment and training," depicted
on the graph, is the Job Center Network and Labor Exchange
System and unemployment insurance is for the payment of
insurance benefits as well as the collection of insurance
revenues. The department also offers grants to regional
training centers throughout the state that have been identified
for funding by the legislature. The department provides grants
for the operation of construction academies located in
Anchorage, Matanuska-Susitna Valley, Kenai, Juneau, and
Ketchikan. The department is pleased with the success of this
newly established program, he added. The total state general
fund investment to DLWD is about $22 million.
9:13:18 AM
MR. BELL, in response to Representative Munoz, stated that DLWD
provides funding to school districts, but it is limited and
designated by the legislature. He said the department's
engagement with school districts is through the construction
academies and the Alaska Youth First program; focused towards
putting career guides in the schools. In addition, the regional
training centers are generally affiliated with school districts.
For example, the regional training center in Kotzebue is a
function of the school district, and is effectively a post-
secondary component of the school district. The Northwest
Alaska Career and Technical Education Center in Nome is a
component of the two school districts in that region, providing
boarding services and basic vocational training and career
preparation.
9:14:45 AM
REPRESENTATIVE BUCH asked whether AVTEC is patterned after "the
Mt. Edgecombe example".
MR. BELL answered that it is focused on short-term exposure to
vocational opportunities. High school students enroll and only
go to the school for a few weeks, then return to their
local/home school.
9:15:48 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER inquired about the school funding for the
various training centers.
MR. BELL said Galena is affiliated with the local school
district and receives funding from the legislature through the
regional training center appropriation. Nenana is not
identified and does not receive funding, however, Kotzebue does.
He added that was designated through a temporary act, by the
legislature, called the Technical Vocational Education Program
(TVEP). The legislature mandated that employee contributions to
unemployment insurance be set aside for this program. The
legislature stipulated how the funds are shared among the
university system, AVTEC, and the regional training centers.
The department carries this component in their budget for
distribution to the centers that provide workforce training.
9:17:27 AM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON requested further information regarding
the department's budget.
MR. BELL said the predominant funding source for DLWD is
federal. In further response, he explained that the
department's general fund budget is $31 million, with $22
million specified for workforce. The total budget is $175
million, with $110 million directed to workforce development -
primarily comprised of federal dollars.
9:18:56 AM
MR. BELL continued to slide 9, Training System at a Glance, and
lauded the accomplishments of the Workforce Investment Board.
The board is largely private sector driven, save the seats
reserved for the commissioner of education and University of
Alaska officials. Ultimately, the partnership of the Department
of Education and Early Development (EED), private sector,
construction academy, and others, contributes to the focus on
living wage and career jobs. Mr. Bell characterized DLWD as a
component of the partnership, and a conduit to achieve success.
9:21:01 AM
MR. BELL illuminated slide 10, State Entity Partnerships, that
are: the University of Alaska, by the sharing of workforce data
and projections, the monitoring of the training program
performance report, and coordination of training and
articulation agreements; EED via career and technical education,
and through the WorkKeys and Alaska Career Ready Certificate
programs; the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic
Development, by meeting the workforce needs of economic
development projects; the Department of Transportation and
Public Facilities, with apprentice utilization on public
construction projects; and the Department of Corrections,
exploring opportunities for incarcerated persons to develop pre-
apprentice skills. Private Sector Partnerships, slide 11, are:
the Workforce Investment Board, setting workforce development
policy and, with Regional Advisory Councils, provides region-
specific input; the Gas Line Training Plan Steering Committee;
the Alaska Construction Academies, that are a partnership with
school districts and the Association of General Contractors and
Home Builders Association; and the State Training and Employment
Program Partners (STEP), honoring grants to training programs
for needs identified by industry.
9:25:12 AM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON asked whether there is a map to illustrate
the locations of training programs throughout the state, and
indicate the regional distribution.
9:25:33 AM
MR. BELL pointed out that one complication of using a map is
that the University of Alaska is integral to these programs and
the regional training centers often share the same areas. He
offered to provide a map, but cautioned that there will be
overlaps. Additionally, there are private and non-profit
training centers such as the private training center in Palmer.
Displaying slide 12, FY 08 Key Program Accomplishments, he
pointed out that the Alaska job center network connected over
31,000 Alaskans with jobs; over 6,600 individuals received
employment and training services; over 500 Vocational
Rehabilitation Division consumers were employed; AVTEC trained
nearly 900 Alaskans; and [the department] published a gas line
workforce training plan. Turning to slide 13, A Note About
Apprenticeship, he explained the apprenticeship program and the
opportunities for residents. The concept behind registered
apprenticeship is that an employer registers with the U. S.
Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration Bureau
of Apprenticeship enabling an apprentice to receive a journeyman
level wage, on the job skills, and attend school. The program
provides many opportunities, particularly in non-traditional
apprenticeship industries.
9:29:19 AM
CHAIR SEATON asked whether there are any partnerships
established with villages or tribes.
MR. BELL assured the committee that he would provide information
on the many significant partnerships with tribal entities and
Native corporations.
9:30:28 AM
REPRESENTATIVE BUCH agreed that it would be difficult to provide
a map given how many programs involve partnerships and private
enterprise; however, it would be helpful to "try and get a grip
on what is being offered out there."
MR. BELL opined that creating a map is possible, but DLWD would
not claim ownership of all of the programs included on the map.
He then returned to slide 13 to add that statistics prove how
registered apprenticeships are a good means for retention of the
state's workforce. With slide 15, The Training Continuum, he
identified all of the programs run by the department, their
funding category, and who and how many they serve. He concluded
with slide 16 that listed the department's capital budget
requests.
9:33:40 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER returned to slide 15 and pointed out that
about 900 people are served under the AVTEC program at a cost of
$10 million per year. She asked Mr. Bell to compare the per
person cost of an AVTEC student to that of a high school
student.
9:34:33 AM
MR. BELL answered that the general fund (GF) budget for AVTEC is
$4.8 million and the remainder comes from tuition, fees, and
other sources, and he confirmed that the total cost of $10
million to serve 900 students per year.
9:35:35 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ asked Mr. Bell for details on how funds
dedicated by the Workforce Investment Act will target youth aged
14 to 21 years.
MR. BELL offered to provide a written response for a
comprehensive answer. He summarized that the funding is used
for competitive grants to entities that serve at-risk youth.
Agencies such as the Nine Star Education and Employment
Services, in Anchorage, and Southeast Regional Health Consortium
(SEARHC), in Juneau.
9:37:26 AM
REPRESENTATIVE BUCH asked whether the department is involved
with the Alaska Military Youth Academy, which serves 200 at-risk
youth and maintains a success rate of 80 percent.
9:38:05 AM
MR. BELL affirmed that there is funding provided to the military
academy.
9:39:13 AM
FRED ESPOSITO, Director, Alaska Vocational Technical Center
(AVTEC), Division of Business Partnership, Department of Labor &
Workforce Development (DLWD) informed the committee that AVTEC
has adopted the tag line, "Great careers for Alaska's future."
The center is approaching their year 40 anniversary, of
providing training to Alaskans. He introduced slide 2, Who Our
Students Are, and indicated that the center delivers direct
services to students in Seward and Anchorage, and elsewhere
across the state via distance education. The average student
age is 26, of which 70 percent are male and 30 percent are
female. Approximately 55 percent of students reside in
Southcentral Alaska.
9:41:06 AM
MR. ESPOSITO continued to slide 3, Graduating Students, and
noted that last year 83 percent of enrolled students graduated,
or completed training upgrades. Among the 2007 AVTEC graduates,
93 percent were employed in training-related jobs or continued
with their education. He opined that this percentage is above
the national norm for similar schools in the nation.
9:41:40 AM
MR. ESPOSITO referred to slide 4, Training Program Facts, and
said that entry to the program requires good mathematics and
reading skills; enrollment requires a high school diploma and
passing a mathematics and reading score assessment. The center
has a close relationship with the University of Alaska and most
students earn credits toward an associate degree. Mr. Esposito
opined that AVTEC students may be non-traditional learners who,
after success at AVTEC, are able to develop the confidence to
pursue a college degree. He re-stated that AVTEC is nationally
accredited by the Council on Occupational Education and is
industry certified.
9:45:05 AM
MR. ESPOSITO explained that slides 5, 6, and 7 list the training
programs offered and include high skill, high wage industries
such as transportation, construction, health care, hospitality,
and information technology. New programs under development
include medium/heavy duty truck technician and hydroelectric and
wind turbine operation training programs. The center provides
student services in the form of housing for 150 students and 17
families, food services, counseling services, recreation,
learning resources, and placement services.
9:47:52 AM
CHAIR SEATON asked whether the maritime training center has been
effective in its coordination with the Alaska Marine Highway
System (AMHS) so that ferry pilots and personnel can be trained
in Alaska.
MR. ESPOSITO responded that pilots come from across the state to
use the simulator for training/orientation of new pilots.
Although the level of technology is very high, the center is in
need of more databases for navigable waters, Azipod controls,
and another cruise ship model to add to the simulator. These
upgrades will allow the center to continue to meet the needs of
industry.
CHAIR SEATON expressed his understanding that the AMHS is still
sending crew members and licensed officers to New Jersey for
training and asked why this would be occurring.
MR. ESPOSITO acknowledged the frustration regarding the center's
attempts to serve the needs of the marine highway system. He
opined that AVTEC has the ability and the programs to provide
training; however, it is a struggle to keep qualified
instructional staff due to the difficulty in offering
competitive wages. At this time, there is an excellent staff
and sufficient resources are available for instruction. He
offered to re-connect with AMHS officials about this situation.
CHAIR SEATON requested an outline that will assist the committee
in determining how best to utilize the capital investment in
existing facilities and coordinate between departments for the
education of Alaskans.
9:52:42 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER asked whether classes are full and if
there is a wait list. Also, what is the proportion of
applicants who are able to enroll in their first choice field.
Although there is a high level of success, are there impediments
for entrance or to graduate. Her final question was whether
popular classes are expanded to meet demand.
MR. ESPOSITO answered that the major impediments to entry are
reading and mathematics skills. Students who do not have a high
school diploma are referred to adult basic education centers to
obtain a General Education Development (GED) certificate;
students without the necessary skills can use adult education or
on-line tutoring to improve entrance test scores. Once students
are in a program the most common reason for not graduating is
due to drug/alcohol-related issues. The attendance, drug, and
alcohol polices are very strict in order to represent a genuine
workplace environment. Regarding wait lists, some programs such
as welding, are being expanded; nevertheless, there are 70
students waiting to get into the welding program at this time.
A vacant welding instructor position is open, but recruitment is
difficult due to the wage competition. Mr. Esposito indicated
that other programs are generally full.
9:56:57 AM
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON referred to vacant staff positions and
asked whether the department would do a wage comparison study in
order to obtain authorization to increase instructors' wages.
MR. ESPOSITO affirmed that the department has a good
understanding about what the industry is paying for skilled
teachers, but it is difficult to match wages under the
collective bargaining unit of the teacher's union.
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON opined that there may be a means for
allowing wage increases for state employees.
MR. BELL agreed that there are exempt positions identified in
statute, however, allowances for wage categories that were once
possible are no longer available options.
10:00:11 AM
CHAIR SEATON requested further information from the department
in this area. He then revealed that he is an AVTEC graduate
from the marine diesel program.
10:00:49 AM
^OVERVIEW(S): UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA - WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAM
CHAIR SEATON announced that the final order of business would be
an overview from the University of Alaska - Workforce Training
Program.
10:01:15 AM
FRED VILLA, Associate Vice President, Workforce Development,
Statewide Programs, University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA),
related his personal history in the oil and gas industry and his
early involvement with the University of Alaska. He emphasized
his personal interest in the opportunities provided to young
people by the university and the state. He stated that
university officials understand that not every student will
aspire to a four-year college program; however, statistics
indicate that about 77 percent of the jobs in the future will
require some type of post-secondary education or training.
10:04:59 AM
MR. VILLA continued to describe how the workforce programs were
implemented by the university at the same time community
colleges were absorbed into the university system. During the
last 10 years, 80 out of 100 new programs have been introduced
through workforce development, including two-year programs with
the current technical education emphasis. Currently, the
technical educational programs are the most expensive programs
to operate for three reasons: technical classes have a low
level of economy of scale; low pupil-teacher ratios are
required; and expensive hands-on technology is required. Mr.
Villa referred to slide 3, Role in Workforce Development, and
explained that the role of the university is three phase: to
support pre-college programs with career pathways and
activities; to prepare students to enter the workforce [at]
industry standards; and to train the existing workforce through
professional development opportunities.
10:08:42 AM
MR. VILLA displayed slide 4, Award Levels, listing the required
credit levels for university certification: occupational
endorsements 9-29; certificate awards 30; associate's degree
60; bachelor's degree 120; master's degree 30 credits beyond the
bachelor level; and a doctorate has varying credit hours.
Illustrated on slide 5 are the university main administrative
units (MAUs) that consist of University of Alaska Statewide;
University of Alaska, Anchorage (UAA); University of Alaska,
Fairbanks (UAF); and University of Alaska, Juneau (UAS). He
stated that University of Alaska Statewide, under the direction
of University of Alaska President, Mark Hamilton, governs over
human resources, fiscal policy, and departments such as
Workforce Programs. The three main campus areas of UAA, UAF,
and UAS, are led by their respective chancellors and each have a
number of community colleges or training centers with which they
are associated. Slide 6 shows a map of the campuses statewide,
in addition to training centers and Mining and Petroleum
Training Services (MAPTS) programs that are located on mining
sites.
10:12:12 AM
MR. VILLA continued to slide 7, Campus Affiliated Sites, to list
sites that are located throughout rural Alaska, and slide 8,
Campus Affiliated Military Sites, indicating sites situated on
Eielson Air Force Base, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Ft. Richardson
Army Base, and Ft. Wainwright Army Base. He emphasized that the
physical presence of the university system across the state
allows residents access to training "as much as we can." The
first role for the university system is to prepare students to
consider a direction, as illustrated by slide 9, Alaska's
Pathways to Successful Careers. He explained how the students
are introduced to career possibilities; for example, through
programs such as the Future Teachers of Alaska Program, Lego
Robotics, 4-H, and Future Farmers of America (FFA). These are
valuable programs that teach leadership, mathematics, and
science skills while inspiring youth towards a chosen career.
10:16:56 AM
MR. VILLA presented each committee member with the UAA Career
Connections Educational Opportunities binder containing
information on every university system school and program,
graduation requirements, and recommended courses for pre-
requisites. These binders are continually updated for the
benefit of students who are investigating post-secondary
education, and are available at every middle and high school in
the state. He discussed the Hot Jobs program that identifies 20
careers and career pathways to prepare high school students who
may want to step into jobs directly after high school
graduation.
10:18:29 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER referred to slide 16 and asked for
clarification on the percentage of students who reach their
goal.
MR. VILLA explained that the percentages may be skewed due to
the number of students in informational technology programs who
are hired by industry before the completion of their courses.
In addition, students may enter a course to hone basic skills.
He opined that there are many different reasons why students may
not continue all the way to a degree.
REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER further asked whether the rate of
completion has increased since 2001.
CHAIR SEATON suggested that university officials will have
further information on this subject at a later hearing.
10:21:16 AM
MR. VILLA returned to slide 12, Additional Outreach Programs,
and pointed out that Adult Basic Education (ABE) enrollment is
at 1,176 students, and includes classes preparing students for
GED, English as a second language, and citizenship preparation.
Tech Prep is a dual credit program and has over 1,200 students
in secondary courses of study. Dual credit is a three-course
curriculum "plan of study" that begins in high school and is
completed at the university. These credits align with the
occupation endorsement and provide students with the opportunity
to obtain the endorsement either at high school graduation or
after completing one university course. In addition to the dual
credit program, in FY 08 there were an additional 340 students
enrolled in the university system, from 34 school districts. He
added that, including Tech Prep enrollees, dual credit
enrollment totaled 4,214 students in FY 08. Most popular
courses were: computer information office systems, computer and
networking technology, early childhood education, construction
technology, English, and welding.
10:25:59 AM
MR. VILLA spoke briefly of the university system partnerships
including the Department of Labor & Workforce Development (DLWD)
and the Department of Education & Early Development (EED).
Partnership programs with the DLWD include: apprenticeships,
AVTEC, Hot Jobs, Job Centers, and Research & Analysis. He
described the type of cooperation that can result in benefits to
students and employers. With EED, projects such as the WorkKeys
assessment system are actively engaged.
10:28:43 AM
MR. VILLA presented slide 14, University of Alaska Private
Sector Partnerships in Workforce Training, and elaborated on the
university's relationship with the Alaska Workforce Investment
Board; the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education; the
Alaska Process Industries Careers Consortium; Putting Alaska's
Resources to Work; organized labor; Native corporations; and
private businesses and industries. He stressed that every
workforce development program in the university system has an
industry-based advisory committee to keep the program up-to-date
on industry standards and employer/and employee needs.
10:32:16 AM
MR. VILLA noted that his goal for Campuses and Regional Training
Centers, shown on slide 15, is to focus on the close
relationship between these entities Resources, faculty, and
sometimes facilities, are shared with the seven community based
training campuses located in the Tanana Valley, Seward, Bethel,
Kotzebue, Nome, Sitka, and King Salmon. In the present climate
of declining funds, the university can provide important
assistance to regional training centers, as it did recently to
the KotzTech Learning Center, Chukchi Campus, in Kotzebue.
10:33:56 AM
MR. VILLA explained that slide 16 shows the distribution of
Technical Vocational Education Program (TVEP) funding for FY 01
through FY 08 as follows: UAA, 55.3 percent; UAF, 24.7 percent;
UAS, 17.8 percent; and Statewide (SW), 2.2 percent. Slide 18
shows the distribution of TVEP funding for program distributions
for FY 01 through FY 08 as follows: allied health, 17 percent;
information technology, 15.l percent; transportation, 10.5
percent; nursing, 9.6 percent; early childhood, 8.8 percent; and
process technology, 7 percent.
10:35:53 AM
MR. VILLA presented slide 19, Program Performance High
Demand/High Growth Occupation Degree Production to display the
following graduation statistics: allied health and nursing, 407;
applied engineering, 219; behavioral health, 308; business, 469;
construction, 46; IT, 126; natural resources, 229; process
technology, 93; protective services, 77; teacher education, 390;
and transportation, 134. He concluded with his plan for
revisiting the committee in February.
10:36:35 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER expressed his appreciation for the
comprehensive presentation, and he introduced Caleb Hine, a
student in the Alaska Close-Up program, who is his "job shadow"
today.
10:37:22 AM
CHAIR SEATON noted that there are also university interns who
are working with the legislature this session.
10:38:00 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Standing Committee on Education meeting was adjourned at 10:38
a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| DOLWDOverview he 0109.pdf |
HEDC 1/30/2009 8:00:00 AM |
|
| AVTECOverviewhe0109.pdf |
HEDC 1/30/2009 8:00:00 AM |
|
| FY09 Adult Basic Education Grant distribution.pdf |
HEDC 1/30/2009 8:00:00 AM |
|
| University of Alaska Workforce Programs.pdf |
HEDC 1/30/2009 8:00:00 AM |
|
| WorkKeys program brochures.pdf |
HEDC 1/30/2009 8:00:00 AM |
|
| WorkKeys program information.pdf |
HEDC 1/30/2009 8:00:00 AM |
|
| Link to University of Alaska Career Cluster brochures.doc |
HEDC 1/30/2009 8:00:00 AM |