Kathleen Castle: champion of Alaska Construction Academies.

• Author: Stricker, Julie
• Position: SPECIAL SECTION: Building Alaska

A few years ago, Kathleen Castle noticed a shortage of entry-level workers for residential construction. Castle, who had spent years working with the construction industry, realized that schools were shifting curriculum from classes such as welding to focus on technology.

"What seemed to be happening at about that time was they were pulling classes out of schools and even often changing what might have been a welding lab or a carpentry lab, taking all that out and putting in computer labs because this technology was the big deal," Castle says.

Learning technology is important, but Castle was concerned that fewer high school students were being introduced to the idea of construction and associated trades as a career. In addition, many students may not have the means or desire to get a college degree, Castle says. She wanted to give them the opportunity to do something with their hands.

You don't need a college degree to drive a truck at Fort Knox gold mine, for instance.

"That's a very good job," Castle says. "Our industry has lots of exciting careers that are also high paying. Many of them with good benefits, so you could easily support a family and have the toys that you want, snowmachines, Jet Skis, boats, whatever."

Statewide Organization

A couple of concerned people in the industry traveled to Juneau and secured a state grant upon which Alaska Construction Academies was built with Castle as executive director. It is a statewide organization with branches in six cities that offer classes for high school students and adults. The academies work directly with such organizations as the Associated General Contractor of Alaska, Anchorage Home Builders Association, Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and Cook Inlet Tribal Council, among many others. According to labor market data, more than one thousand construction workers are needed in Alaska annually to fill industry jobs and replace retiring workers.

Over the past decade, hundreds of people have received training through the academies, giving them opportunities for well-paying, skilled jobs in construction and related industries.

'Tireless Advocate'

In early October, Castle was one of the people acknowledged by the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District at a ceremony in "recognition of superhero partners who have made significant investments in student success."

Daniel Domke, the Career and Technical Education Director for the Fairbanks school district, says Castle...