Did you know ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ provides critical healthcare training programs in Alaska, including exclusive offerings like the Master's in Social Work and radiology technician training?
February 27, 2024
The big picture:
Alaska's healthcare landscape is undergoing significant transformation, with projections
indicating a noteworthy 14.3% growth in healthcare jobs from 2020 to 2030—surpassing
all other sectors. In this evolving landscape, the University of Alaska is a pivotal
player, offering essential and unique healthcare programs that cater to the state's
growing needs.
What we're watching:
One distinct program, the Associate of Applied Science in Radiologic Technology at
the University of Alaska Anchorage (ÐÓ°É´«Ã½A), offers a fast-track path to a rewarding
career, with graduates entering the workforce in less than two years.
- ÐÓ°É´«Ã½A’s program is also offered at the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ (ÐÓ°É´«Ã½F) Community and Technical College, in cooperation with the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.
ÐÓ°É´«Ã½A's Master of Social Work (MSW) program is singular to the state. This program is distance-delivered, allowing students to access the program from anywhere in Alaska.
- In 2022, ÐÓ°É´«Ã½A MSW graduates who took the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) exam for the first time had a 96% pass rate.
- The competitive salaries in these fields, averaging around $80,000 annually in Alaska, highlight the economic opportunities provided by ÐÓ°É´«Ã½'s healthcare programs.
By the numbers:
With projections indicating a need for 4,500 new healthcare jobs over the next decade,
ÐÓ°É´«Ã½'s commitment to meeting Alaska's healthcare demands is more crucial than ever.
- The University of Alaska has identified 60 programs whose graduates are important to the clinical and behavioral health industry in Alaska.
- Since 2011, 7,499 people have graduated from programs relevant to the state’s health industry.
Zoom in:
Beyond traditional coursework, MSW students engage in interdisciplinary research projects
like Project BLENDS, which trains 32 scholars over five years, two from each of four
disciplines — Communication Sciences and Disorders, Social Work, Clinical Psychology,
and Occupational Therapy. The goal: to meet Alaska's workforce needs in supporting
children with high-intensity social-emotional needs and their families.
Zoom out:
Alaska boasts some of the highest wages for healthcare positions nationwide, with
15 categories ranking highest or second highest in the country. Additionally, Alaska's
healthcare sector remains a cornerstone of the state's economy, contributing over
$3 billion in direct wages and comprising 11% of the workforce and nearly 43,000 annual
average healthcare jobs in 2022.
Why it matters:
As healthcare emerges as the dominant economic sector in Alaska and with the state
facing growing healthcare demands and workforce shortages, ÐÓ°É´«Ã½'s role in training skilled
professionals will continue to be indispensable.
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