The federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 included several references to "high demand, high wage, or high skill" occupations. However, the individual states were encouraged in this federal training legislation to develop their own definitions of these terms for program applications.

Listed below are the criteria for "high-wage, high-skill and high-demand" occupations developed the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development:

High Demand Criteria: A greater than average projected annual job growth rate for Alaska (1.31% using 2006-2016 projections) or at least 50 annual average job openings.

High Wage Criteria: A greater than median wage ($38,376 annually or $18.45 hourly) for all occupations in the state of Alaska.

High Skill Criteria: The occupation requires completion of an associate degree, postsecondary career technical education, more than 12 months of on-the-job training, or a combination of work and formal training or at least half of the 10 basic O*NET skills for this occupation are ranked at or above 50% in importance and at least 5 of the other O*NET skills required for this occupation are at or above 50% in importance.

For comments or discussion, please contact:
  Brian N. Rae
  Economist, Research & Analysis Section
  Alaska Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development
  (907) 465-5883
  brian.rae@alaska.gov