CTC gala celebrates partners, highlights need for technical skills

Friday’s gala put those partnerships on display as thanks and to help showcase some examples of the disciplines the college offers to the community, according to CTC Dean Michelle Stalder.

“These partnerships are critical,” Stalder said. “We wouldn’t be able to offer our programs without their support.”

Stalder has been with CTC for just over 40 years, while the college itself has been operating for 48 years in one form or another.

Stalder said industry partners provide support for the college’s various programs through workforce development opportunities, donations, scholarships and equipment. An example was funding the Bill Stroecker Foundation provided to help purchase tool storage cabinets for students in some disciplines.

Culinary arts students catered the event, preparing sampler-sized delicacies and providing a demonstration of their skills while preparing carrot soup, salmon and crepes.

The various fire departments have provided use of fire engines for the college’s fire science program. Bering Air, Inc. donated a 1978 Beech 200 in 2019 to the college’s aviation maintenance program.

Stalder said Friday’s event is typically an annual event, but the Covid-19 placed it on pause. Despite the pandemic, however, more 1,200 students graduated over three years from its various certificate and associate degree programs and entered the Alaska workforce thanks to the partnerships.

Missy Lizottee, manager of the Fairbanks Job Center and a member of the CTC advisory council, said industry partners sit on committees to provide guidance “so we can train our students.” The partnership with the Job Center helps to find ways to pay for certificates, tuition and “get those jobs once they get the training they need.”

“Sometimes we’ll work with partners to get people hired before they have their credentials so students can learn on the job while going to school at the same time,” Lizotte said. “It works out that you could get into an entry level position while you complete training.”

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski served as the event’s keynote speaker, in which she applauded partnerships between CTC and businesses and organizations.

“CTC is the workforce pipeline for Alaska … it’s an unsung hero of what is happening with our workforce,” Murkowksi said. “CTC answers the needs of the community and the region … and to celebrate the community partners is key to what is done.”

She said the 400 partnerships demonstrate significant support for the college and “the stories behind those partnerships should not be kept secret.”

“What is happening here in Fairbanks and how you have done is something that others should look to model.”

Murkowski capped her speech by noting the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development recently projected the demand for 40,000 jobs over the next decade.

“Many of them are going to be fields that CTC explicitly focuses on,” Murkowski said.