as a critical player in vocational training. “We focus on three distinct lines of business,” Crum explains. “First, we have vocational training that is all about skills building. We take individuals with little to no skill and bring them up to a minimum employment level in entry-level fields.” Crum continues to highlight the second key area of their operations: professional development. This aspect is geared towards upskilling individuals and helping them advance in their careers. “It’s about providing the opportunity for people to grow within their chosen fields,” he adds.“From regulatory training to safety audits, evaluations, and crafting safety plans for companies, we cover a broad spectrum of safety services.” The third and rapidly expanding segment of NIT Alaska’s business is consulting. Crum shares that this involves working closely with employers to create internal career pathways.“We help businesses utilize their existing workforce more effectively by developing employees for higher-skilled or higherlevel positions,” he says. Another innovative offering from NIT Alaska is its homeschool and privatized learning division, which began in 2020. “We noticed a gap in handson educational opportunities for high school students,” Crum states. “We now offer classes like welding, mechanics, carpentry, electrical, and even entrepreneurial skills.” These courses, he notes, are not just electives but can count towards high school credits, with some even fulfilling science and math credit requirements. “Our welding classes, for instance, can qualify as a physical science credit, and carpentry can count as a math credit,” Crum points out. ADDRESSING THE SKILLED TRADES SHORTAGE Amid an ongoing shortage in skilled trades, NIT Alaska faces a significant challenge: attracting and connecting students to available job opportunities. Crum addresses this issue head-on, emphasizing the importance of early exposure and effective recruitment strategies. “A lot of it starts with exposure and looking at the 145 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 08 NORTHERN INDUSTRIAL TRAINING (NIT ALASKA)
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