The University of Alaska Southeast Sitka Campus will receive $2.5 million for the growth and expansion of its fisheries technology degree program. The grant will foster the training and job preparation of a fisheries workforce in communities from Southeast Alaska to the Bering Sea. 

The award, which extends more than four years, will allow students in coastal communities the opportunity to complete their coursework without leaving home. The grant advances the university’s Fisheries/Seafood/Maritime Initiative, which involves collaboration with university and industry partners throughout Alaska.

To meet the goals of the grant, UAS will work with community campuses not only in Southeast Alaska but in communities like Kodiak, Homer, Bristol Bay and Bethel. Employing a combination of online coursework and regional fieldwork, labs and practicums, students will be able to earn occupational endorsements, certificates and degrees in fisheries technology. 

The grant was made through the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training grant program under the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration.

For more information, contact Owen Kindig at 907-747-7767 or owen.kindig@uas.alaska.edu or Reid Brewer, program manager for fisheries technology at UAS Sitka Campus, 907-747–7799 or
reid.brewer@uas.alaska.edu.