ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE  January 31, 2001 3:20 p.m. COMMITTEE CALENDAR  OVERVIEW: ALASKA STATE HOSPITAL AND NURSING HOME ASSOCIATION ALASKA PROCESS INDUSTRY CAREERS CONSORTIUM TAPES  01-9, SIDE A   CALL TO ORDER  REPRESENTATIVE LISA MURKOWSKI, Chair, convened the House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee meeting at 3:20 p.m.   PRESENT Committee members present were Representatives Murkowski, Halcro, Meyer, Kott, Rokeberg, Crawford, and Hayes.   SUMMARY OF INFORMATION LARAINE DERR, President and CEO, Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association (ASHNHA), presented statistical information about the workforce in the healthcare industry. She reported that ten of the top growing jobs for the future are in the healthcare field. She noted a real shortage of healthcare workers in the state and reported a very high turnover rate in nursing. She acknowledged that much of the shortage is due to a dramatic increase in life expectancy. MS. DERR stated that ASHNHA and a number of other organizations are committed to "growing their own" nurses, technicians, oilrig workers, and pipeline personnel in order to combat the existing workforce shortage in the state. FRED VILLA, Board Member, Alaska Process Industry Careers Consortium (APICC), presented his perspective on workforce development in the processing industry. He noted that APICC includes industries from mining, oil, gas production, seafood, power, and food processing. He stated that APICC supports investments made to the processing professions and the career paths of such occupations. He encouraged the state to place a greater emphasis on employability rather than academic standards, and reported that good work habits are more valuable to employers than education.   ANNOUNCEMENTS  There were no announcements. COMMITTEE ACTION  The committee took no action. ADJOURNMENT    CHAIR MURKOWSKI called an at-ease at 3:40 p.m. to transition for the hearing of HB 27. [The meeting addressing HB 27 is on tape 01-10 which convened at 3:49 p.m.] NOTE: The meeting was recorded and handwritten log notes were taken. A copy of the tape(s) and log notes may be obtained by contacting the House Records Office at State Capitol, Room 3, Juneau, Alaska 99801 (mailing address), (907) 465-2214, and after adjournment of the second session of the Twenty-Second Alaska State Legislature this information may be obtained by contacting the Legislative Reference Library at (907) 465-3808.