Beginning this fall, the University of Alaska will offer a 25 percent tuition discount on selected career and technical education (CTE) courses. The discount will apply to 50 programs and more than 300 courses at the University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and University of Alaska Southeast including community campuses. Eligible programs range from pharmacy technology to welding, and many courses can be taken online to accommodate the needs of working Alaskans.

In providing a discount for courses in many high-demand workforce areas, more Alaskans will have the opportunity to build the skills they will need for their advancement in Alaska’s future workforce. These skill-based programs also are ideal for employers looking to affordably develop employees’ skills or for individuals looking to change careers or increase their credentials.

The discount is part of the university’s plan to meet its goals to grow enrollment, increase degree completion and meet Alaska’s workforce needs. According to national research, by 2025, 65 percent of Alaska jobs will require some form of post-secondary education. Many of the applicable programs are in high-demand workforce areas such as marine transportation, medical billing, phlebotomy, welding, office management and construction technology.

While UA’s tuition is low compared to peer universities in the western United States, its tuition for CTE programs is high compared to other community college systems. By providing a discount for these courses, UA hopes to enroll Alaskans who want to refresh or learn new skills and those who want to return to college to complete a workforce training program.

The CTE discount will be applied on a course-by-course basis. For example, if a lower division course tuition is $212 per credit, the applied discount would be $53 per credit. There is no reduction to assessed fees, non-resident surcharge, or other costs. For a complete list of eligible courses and programs across the university system, visit www.alaska.edu/starthere/cte.