Students in CH2M Hill's pilot training program work to build a scaffold. Some 15 students from Southwest Alaska completed the training earlier this month, and will be offered jobs on the North Slope.

Some 15 students successfully completed a pilot training program in sheet metal work and scaffolding offered by CH2M Hill in Southwest Alaska, and will be offered jobs on the North Slope.

A graduation ceremony was held at the Southwest Alaska Vocational and Education Center in King Salmon on April 12.

Certified instructors from CH2M Hill put the students through three weeks of training to compete courses in sheet metal and scaffolding, with a focus on safety. Those finishing the program will be extended an offer for employment on the North Slope, according to Trevor O'Hara, CH2M Hill's lead recruiter for crafts. The students represented most areas of Southwest Alaska, from Bristol Bay to the Aleutian and Pribilof islands.

“We focused on Southwest Alaska because it is essentially an untapped resource for workers. With the significant amount of oil and gas work in Alaska on the horizon, our long-term goal is to develop a transferable workforce to meet the needs of our company and our clients,” O'Hara said.

Of the 18 students who began the program, 15 were able to maintain the high quality and safety standards required of CH2M Hill employees. The focus of the program is to simulate a real life work environment that will prepare the students to join and succeed in the workforce.

“This project has a focus on recruiting and retention of entry-level employees joining the North Slope environment successfully,” said O'Hara.

While at SAVEC, students were also taught “soft” skills including resume writing and construction math to further enhance their employability.

In May CH2M Hill will conduct another training program with a focus on an electrical apprenticeship also to be held in King Salmon at SAVEC.