Budget cuts take bite from job training programs - Tim Bradner, Alaska Journal of Commerce

The state Department of Labor and Workforce Development, which coordinates much of the state and federal money for training, has seen its budget cut sharply, from $33.4 million in state funds two years ago to $22.4 million in the current year, state Labor Commissioner Heidi Drygas said. State funds to three rural regional training centers, in Kotzebue, Nome and King Salmon have been cut sharply, as has money for the Alaska construction academies, which are in larger communities, Drygas said. The rural training center cuts are particularly unfortunate, she said. “These are areas with high chronic unemployment, and the training is focused mainly on jobs available in those region, like health care, construction and transportation, where workers now come mainly from other parts of the state,” Drygas said. http://www.alaskajournal.com/2016-07-27/budget-cuts-take-bite-job-training-programs#.V5pr8_krJpg