ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) — A major step forward in Alaska’s workforce development efforts began this week as officials broke ground on a new 30,000-square-foot Apprenticeship Training Center in East Anchorage.

The project, led by the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters (WSRCC), was celebrated during a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday. The event drew participation from state and local leaders who praised the project as a strategic investment in Alaska’s economic and labor future.

The facility, located near Boniface Parkway and the Glenn Highway, is designed to train the next generation of skilled trades workers—including carpenters and pile drivers—who will be vital to the state’s infrastructure and construction industries.

“Part of the goal that we had here was to try and identify the future,” said Robby Capps, president of F&W Construction Co.
“Workforce requirements, training requirements of the industry and for those of you who have asked for a long time, we’ve got a tremendous surplus of labor for many, many years after the pipeline kind of transition. These folks were retiring. We’re trying to get a handle on what our future looks like.”

As Alaska continues to experience workforce shortages in the skilled trades, the new training center is expected to become a cornerstone for sustainable economic growth. The facility will offer hands-on training, apprenticeships, and certification programs tailored to meet current industry demands.

Backed by the WSRCC, which represents thousands of workers across the western U.S., the Anchorage center will provide state-of-the-art training environments that simulate real-world conditions. This will include instruction in residential, commercial, and industrial construction techniques, with a focus on safety, efficiency, and union craftsmanship.

The center also reflects a broader push to revitalize Alaska’s construction pipeline after an era marked by aging labor forces and declining enrollment in trades programs. Officials say training the next generation of workers is critical to meeting the needs of upcoming public and private infrastructure projects, including roads, bridges, housing, and energy development.

In addition to career pathways for youth, the center aims to retrain displaced workers and expand access for underrepresented groups in construction, such as women and Indigenous Alaskans.

The Apprenticeship Training Center is expected to be completed in 2026, and WSRCC leaders hope it becomes a model for industry-labor partnerships across the region.

Originally reported by Kristen Durend in Alaska News Source.