Summary

Alaska business and industry, as well as state and federal agencies, are facing critical needs for engineers of all types – civil, electrical, mechanical, environmental and mineral as well as people trained in related occupations such as geomatics and construction management.  

Alaska’s businesses and governmental agencies require about 400 engineers per year to meet existing needs.  The university graduates about 100 engineers per year, but has instituted an initiative to double that number by 2012 (it requires about five years to train an engineer).  

Demand for engineers, and related occupations, will increase over the next few years with projected growth in general construction, the aging of the existing workforce, and expected gas and oil field exploration and development.

Alaska’s public and private employers are paying premiums to recruit hundreds of engineers from outside the state each year – jobs and money that should stay in Alaska.

Experience demonstrates that 80% of engineers who are trained at UA will stay in Alaska after graduation -- working, raising families, and contributing to the economic and social well-being of the state.

In the past, UA requests for state funding to train more engineers have been only modestly successful.  The primary source of funding for enhancements has been through internal reallocations and private donations. Industry partners have enriched the UA engineering programs with funding, internships, equipment, scholarships, and curriculum support.

Non-state funding will continue to be important, but sustainable programs require on-going state support.

Board of Regents’ FY09 Operating Request includes the following requests for Engineering & Related Programs:

UAA        $1.212 million GF  

Expand BS Engineering & Civil Engineering programs; expand/enhance Geomatics programs; initiate BS in Construction Management; enhance mining/petroleum training through MAPTS program; enhance student recruitment and advising services.

UAF        $850.0 thousand GF

Funding will support student recruitment and advising services, graduate assistant support; expanded support in core instructional areas.

UAS        $100.0 thousand GF

Initiate program to recruit engineering students from southeast region and provide first-year curriculum at Juneau campus in collaboration with UAF and UAA.