Dianne Blumer, commissioner of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development and a board member of the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation, writes in the Anchorage Daily News that “in this decade alone, Alaska will need 7,500 trained, highly-skilled oil and gas workers to meet current industry demand.”  

“Whether it’s billions in investment and new exploration spurred by SB 21, the More Alaska Production Act, production projects such as Point Thomson construction, or the rebirth of the Cook Inlet basin, Alaska’s booming oil and gas sector requires highly-trained Alaska workers.”  

The piece continues: “With more than 270 professions essential to the oil and gas industry, it’s clear that training for these occupations is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and the plan addresses and identifies the varying priority occupations and career pathways.”  

Blumer writes: ”  

I encourage all Alaskans to familiarize themselves with the Alaska Oil and Gas Workforce Development Plan and similar sector strategies currently in place or in development.”