Alaska labor department sets online Q&A with mining professionals for Nov. 24

The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development will host a virtual Lunch & Learn on mining careers from noon to 1 pm Alaska Daylight Time on Tuesday, Nov. 24, on Microsoft Teams.

The session is listed through the state's Job Center Network. The event flyer names underground driller, mining engineer, underground mining, heavy equipment operator and remote camp jobs among the paths it will cover. It promises "real-world career insights," a look at careers people may not have considered and a chance to "ask questions and meet mining professionals."

The Teams link to join is posted on the state's job fair page.

Mining outside the oil and gas industry employed 4,026 Alaska workers in February, according to preliminary state data. That count included 3,629 in metal-ore mining.

The department's 2025 statewide wage table lists an underground mining occupation with hourly wage figures from $35.80 to $56.41 across the measures it shows.

The session is one of several ways the department works with the industry. Its draft workforce plan for 2026 and 2027 says it collaborates with mining employers and training providers, including the University of Alaska Southeast, on underground miner training and haul truck simulator training. The plan says those partnerships support workforce readiness and placement into high-demand jobs.

The Job Center Network also runs employer services such as on-the-job training, apprenticeship support, industry-specific recruitments and hiring events, according to the plan.