State of Alaska, Vigor Industrial Team Up to Host Career Day at Shipyard

The Alaska Construction and Maritime Trades Career Day provides the opportunity for hundreds of local students to explore career and educational opportunities in skilled maritime and construction trades.

What: Alaska Construction and Maritime Trades Career Day

When: 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., October 14

Where: Vigor Alaska, Ketchikan Shipyard, 3801 Tongass Ave, Ketchikan AK 99901

Event Description:

More than 230 students from the Ketchikan School District (KSD) and neighboring island schools within Southeast Alaska will visit the Ketchikan shipyard to learn more about career opportunities in the maritime sector. Other participating school districts include Hydaburg, Wrangell, Petersburg, Metlakatla, and Craig. Students will be able to explore interactive exhibits, trade industry displays and heavy equipment demonstrations at the Ketchikan shipyard. Planned activities include hands-on participation with welding; marine electrical; joinery; machinist; CNC cutting; electric power generation; oil and gas occupations; marine engineering and naval architecture; knots, splicing, and ropes; and even float plane maintenance. Representatives and employers of the Alaska and Pacific Northwest region marine and construction industry sectors will be providing career information along with hands-on experiences for students and participants.

Homeschool students and other youth who want to participate may call Vigor Industrial at 225-7199 for more information.

Several schools, agencies and businesses partnered to put on this event, including: the Alaska Departments of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOTPF) Civil Rights Office & Alaska Marine Highway System, Vigor Alaska, Southern Southeast Alaska Technical Education Center (KIC/SSEATEC), the Ketchikan Campus of the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS-Ketchikan) and the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District (KGBSD). Sponsors include Alaska and Ketchikan employers, training trusts and career and technical educators.

‘Alaska’s Construction Career Days’ (CCD) are funded by the US Dept. of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. Construction Career Day events are workforce development tools which introduce high school students to the transportation construction industry and support the pipeline that will provide the professionals of tomorrow. Since 1999, 497,872 students have participated in CCD events across the nation. “This event is the first US DOT event in the nation to emphasize the maritime trades and to be held at a shipyard. This event will provide an opportunity for high school students to explore and interact with industry experts to aid them in mapping out career paths within the construction industry.” Norma M Lucero, ACCD Coordinator, said.

“Our department is committed to recruiting, retaining and growing a professional workforce and Construction Career Days provides an excellent venue where Alaska’s future contractors and engineers can learn about the different career opportunities that are available in today’s construction industry,” Transportation and Public Facilities Commissioner Pat Kemp said.

“Skilled craftspeople are at the heart of shipbuilding,” said Vigor Alaska’s Doug Ward. “Vigor Alaska is committed to providing opportunities for Ketchikan residents and Alaskans to gain the skills they need to land family wage jobs at our company. Beyond the shipyard, these industrial skills are in high demand in oil and gas, marine transportation and nearly every other industrial sector in Alaska.”

Additional career day information is available online at akconstructioncareerdays.org. For Vigor Alaska employment opportunities visit our Jobs section.

From more information, contact:

Doug Ward
Vigor Alaska
3801 Tongass Ave.
Ketchikan AK 99901
Phone: 907-225-7199
Email: doug.ward@vigor.net