Apprenticeships offer students the opportunity to earn while they learn. Apprenticeships combine classroom learning and on-the-job training under the guidance of a journeyman. The program offers advanced training in positions including splicers, lineman, construction, installation and repair, and other field technician work. In addition, the central office has roles for network technicians.

“Over the next several years, roughly $2 billion in federal funding will bring broadband to unserved communities in rural Alaska. Alaska Communications’ partners have received more than $130 million so far to build reliable, high-speed fiber broadband in fifteen communities along the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers,” Linquist says.

By setting up apprenticeships, companies are preparing a workforce to install and maintain the new equipment and services.

Alaska Communications works with the Alaska Joint Electrical Apprenticeship and Training Trust (AJEATT) to train its apprentices and grow its technical workforce. The AJEATT is a partnership between the Alaska Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1547. The trust provides hands-on classroom and on-the-job training for a variety of electrical jobs, including telecommunications.

Meanwhile, the MTA Tech Center in Wasilla hosts AJEATT education events, which provide apprentices with unique opportunities to interact with industry leaders and gain valuable hands-on experience.

The primary goal of Alaska Communications and MTA’s public outreach campaign, Linquist says, is to increase the number of qualified candidates entering NECA/IBEW’s AJEATT telecommunications apprenticeship program to support life-changing broadband investment in Alaska. “We want more Alaskans to consider the telecom trade and believe there is no better training opportunity than what is provided by AJEATT,” she says.

Alaska Communications and MTA are boosting the signal via traditional advertising, digital marketing, partnership promotion, community outreach/speakers’ bureau, and employee advocacy. “We’re targeting Alaskans with a particular focus on high school students, vocational students, military members, career changers, and women and minorities,” says Linquist. “There are so many benefits to working in this trade, which many residents may not be aware of. From getting paid to go to school and not incurring any debt to the approximately $90,000 annual starting salary upon graduation, our campaign aims to communicate these benefits to encourage consideration.”

Given the state’s tight labor market, Alaska Communications is leveraging apprenticeship programs to fill its workforce planning needs for journeyman and technical positions. “Beyond journeyman roles, we’re looking to grow and retain talent in Alaska for all of our professional needs,” she says. “From finance to marketing and sales to customer service, we’re planning for the workforce we want and need in the future.”

This summer, the company hired four interns to support marketing and finance functions. “We’re engaged with the Anchorage School District’s Academies of Anchorage program, which empowers students through career exposure, so they can make informed decisions and discover their passion while earning early college credit and industry certifications,” Linquist says.

Apprenticeship programs offer valuable opportunities for people from all backgrounds who are eager to pursue promising careers in hands-on trades, says MTA COO Matthew Langhoff. These programs are crucial in shaping a well-trained workforce, offering classroom and on-the-job training that prepares participants to become proficient tradespeople. “Through these initiatives, MTA ensures that its apprentices are well-equipped to meet the demands of the telecommunications industry and seamlessly transition into full-time roles,” he says.

Langhoff notes that MTA’s apprenticeship programs have been instrumental in cultivating a highly skilled workforce, with many apprentices progressing into long-term careers there. Many employees now represent the second or third generation of their families working at MTA. “This continuity and generational commitment underscores the effectiveness of the apprenticeship programs in sustaining MTA’s workforce and contributing to local community growth, particularly in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley,” he says. “Additionally, these programs play a vital role in extending MTA’s capabilities by ensuring that both the company and its contractors have access to well-trained, proficient personnel.”

MTA’s partnership with the IBEW offers comprehensive telecom and power apprenticeship programs that have been integral to its workforce development for decades. For instance, MTA typically employs ten to fifteen apprentices annually, immersing them in real-world operations from the start. These programs are designed to develop essential technical skills while instilling a deep understanding of MTA’s standards, expectations, and company culture.

The apprenticeship programs cover a range of critical roles: install and repair technicians; line crew members and cable splicers; and tower, wireless, fiber optic, and broadband network technicians. These roles are essential for both outside and inside plant operations.

MTA has also adjusted its scholarship offerings to support individuals pursuing certifications and trade qualifications, extending eligibility beyond recent high school graduates to include individuals who may have new career goals. “Emphasizing the value of a skilled trade, combined with the promise of a stable and rewarding career, is key to attracting more young professionals to the industry,” Langhoff says.

Apprentices gain the practical knowledge to perform tasks related to the different occupations during their classroom instruction, as well as hands-on training in the field under the supervision of a journeyman. This enables them to get a well-rounded education and complete the program ready to train the next generation of apprentices. “The hands-on learning model, both in the classroom and in the field, prepares them to become competent workers and face the challenges in the industry that are presented to them,” Caress says.

During classroom training sessions, apprentices must complete multiple competency tasks, including rigorous safety training. For example, apprentices are required to complete and pass bucket truck rescue and pole-top rescue, learn how to operate heavy equipment, and safely climb and perform tasks at realistic heights. “Our model during classroom training is to imitate real-world situations faced in the field,” Caress says. “We have a myriad of labs that explain not only the ‘why’ behind what they’re doing but also the ‘how’ in order to send out a prepared individual.”

Casey Ptacek, training coordinator at the AJEATT’s Kornfeind Training Center in Fairbanks, follows a similar approach. To ensure apprentices are well prepared for challenging work conditions and environments, they are placed in the field with experienced and knowledgeable journeymen. “We also limit the number of apprentices a journeyman can oversee to ensure they can keep a watchful eye,” he says.

Safety, Ptacek says, is the apprenticeship program’s top priority—always. Every apprentice receives comprehensive training in a host of areas, including fiber and copper splicing, pole climbing, confined space, cable lashing, networking, protocols, cabling, heavy equipment operating, structured cabling systems, test sets, troubleshooting, cable locating, bonding and grounding, tower construction/climbing. “We are the only place in the state of Alaska to receive globally recognized BICSI [Building Industry Consulting Service International] certifications, along with the other OSHA 10 [safety course], rigging, mobile crane/Digger Derrick, FOA [fiber optic association], CPR, and pole-top rescue certifications,” he says.

Ptacek adds, “Telecommunications is an ever-changing, vast industry with many specialties and skills required to get the job done from start to finish. The IBEW 1547 AJEATT is the most robust training program in the industry, turning out (journeying out) the highest-trained techs in the field.”

The AJEATT also conducts multiple, two-day introductory courses for high school students at the Fairbanks Pipeline Training Center, where participants receive a two-day crash course in electricity. “We also teach an 80-hour Intro to Electrical trades course at the Fairbanks Pipeline Training Center for high school seniors and juniors the week after school ends,” Ptacek says. “Graduates of this course receive a completion certificate and are eligible for a direct interview.”

Caress urges telecom companies to be intentional about using apprenticeship to accelerate employee development. “As the work demand continues to increase, it is important to utilize apprenticeship to its fullest capabilities,” she says. “The Department of Labor allows one apprentice per journey worker to be trained in the field. We face success in meeting workforce needs by using apprentices at this rate.”

To simplify the path to apprenticeship, there’s Alaska Works. The nonprofit runs a free pre-apprenticeship program that provides introductory, hands-on workshops to help people better understand the telecom industry and assist with the application process for NECA/IBEW’s telecom apprenticeship program. Additionally, Alaska Works also provides apprenticeship opportunities through its Women in Trades and Helmets to Hardhats (for military veterans) trainings.

The telecom pre-apprenticeship program—which receives grants from the US Department of Labor—spans three eight-hour days. It’s held during daytime, evening, and weekend sessions to accommodate various schedules. Last year, Alaska Works received more than 100 applications for the program, according to Outreach Coordinator Nicole Pennie. “Everybody qualifies for our training, and no prior experience is required,” she says.

Program participants—about 30 percent of whom are 18 to 24 years old—get a chance to learn technical skills like cable splicing, installation, repair, and testing, as well as hone their soft skills. This enables them to explore the telecom industry and ask questions before committing to a career. Pennie explains, “We allow them to pursue a curiosity before going into a job. They get hands-on skills to put on their résumé. They receive a certificate of completion for the program. And if they were really good in their class, we have Top 5, and our instructors can write them recommendation letters.”

Aspiring telecom apprentices need to be curious, ask questions, and show up on time, Pennie advises. She says, “People sometimes get nervous and don’t want to try things. They say, ‘I don’t have the experience.’ You can learn hard skills, but you need to bring the soft skills. However, there is training and instruction available that can help them grow their skills.”

Pennie encourages both men and women to consider telecommunications apprenticeship as a pathway to a promising career. “Everybody knows about the billions of dollars coming to Alaska, so there’s no better time to get into the telecom field,” she says. “This is a lifelong career that we can help them start.”