Alaska Works Partnership, Women in the Trades Construction Apprenticeship Preparation course receives National Award.

March 21, 2005

A Fairbanks program received national recognition March 17, 2005, from the United States Department of Labor for its program to promote women in construction. This program, envisaged by the Fairbanks Building and Construction Trades Council is funded by the Alaska Department of Labor/Workforce Development and U.S. Department of Labor. Women in the Trades: Construction Apprenticeship Preparation is specifically designed to prepare women for competitive application to the Building Trades Apprenticeship programs.

The 2004 Exemplary Public Interest Contribution (EPIC) Awards to Alaska Works Partnership, Inc (AWP) was received by Kathy Dietrich and Nelle Andrews, coordinators of the program, in Washington D.C. on March 17, 2005 at the Department of Labor’s awards ceremony.

With construction booming in the Interior and the gas pipeline looming, Alaska Works Partnership (AWP) is working with women and men to prepare them for careers in construction. This program is targeted to women as they currently make up only 2% of the Alaska construction workforce.

The program is being introduced in Anchorage this summer with a four week training course. Future plans in Fairbanks include trade specific programs and a continuation of the trade survey classes where women can sample skills used in a variety of trades.

Kathy Dietrich, Nelle Andrews and Senator Ted Stevens

Contact: Kathy Dietrich or Nelle Andrews, Women in the Trades, 457-2597 or toll-free 1-866-457-2597