Supporting Employers and Strengthening Workforce Pathways
For many Kodiak employers, workforce challenges are immediate and ongoing. Recruitment, retention, and training continue to impact day to day operations. This forum creates space to bring those realities forward and connect them to partners who are working to support solutions.
The Kodiak Workforce Forum: Supporting Today’s Industry, Building Tomorrow’s Opportunities will bring together employers, educators, and partners from our island and across Alaska to focus on one of the most important questions facing our community: how we align today’s workforce needs with tomorrow’s opportunities.
This forum is designed to connect industry insight with practical pathways. From mariculture and emerging economic opportunities to career and technical training, the day will highlight both the work already underway in Kodiak and the systems needed to support long-term success. Participants will hear directly from industry leaders, workforce partners, and educators, and will have the opportunity to contribute to a broader conversation about workforce development in our region.
Below is link to the full agenda for the forum. We invite you to review the schedule, learn more about the speakers and topics, and consider how your work and perspective can contribute to this ongoing effort.
Why YOU Should Attend
For many Kodiak employers, workforce challenges are immediate and ongoing. Recruitment, retention, and training continue to impact day to day operations. This forum creates space to bring those realities forward and connect them to partners who are working to support solutions.
There will be dedicated time for employers to share input on workforce needs, hiring challenges, and opportunities to better connect students and job seekers to careers in Kodiak. That input will directly inform ongoing work related to career and technical education, workforce programs, and future initiatives.
At the same time, the forum will highlight emerging opportunities in Kodiak, including growth in mariculture and other developing industries, as well as programs designed to support career pathways such as those offered through T3 Alaska and other partners. A stronger shared understanding of these opportunities allows us to better connect people to them.
KEDC is also exploring near term opportunities to support workforce readiness, including summer programming focused on soft skills, customer service, and entry level job awareness. Employer input will play an important role in shaping those efforts.
As a community, understanding both our workforce needs and the opportunities ahead allows us to respond in a more coordinated and practical way. This work is an important step in strengthening our local workforce and supporting long term economic stability in Kodiak.
