The Calista Regional Native Corporation has created a new maritime apprenticeship program designed to help workers earn wages while continuing subsistence activities. According to a press release from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the work training program has both a traditional route and a subsistence route that allows apprentices to take time off for hunting, fishing, and berry picking.
Beginning this spring, apprentices will take classes at AVTEC, Alaska's Institute of Technology in Seward, for work on deck, in the engine room, and in the galley. During this summer’s shipping season, the apprentices will begin working with a variety of maritime employers, including Calista subsidiary Brice Marine.
The Alaska Maritime Apprenticeship Program is currently accepting applications through its website.
