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Labor Realigns Western Ak Job Training, Employment Services

Sep. 12, 2002
No. 02-48

Promotes Barbara Cowboy to Manage Region's Workforce Investment Programs

The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development has realigned offices to better provide job training and employment services for Western Alaska and has appointed Barbara Cowboy of Bethel to fill the post of joint Employment Services and Job Training Manager for the region.

Cowboy, who begins her new duties Sept. 16, 2002, will manage Workforce Investment programs for Kotzebue, Bethel, Dillingham, Aleutian Pribilof Islands, and Nome. She will also be responsible for rural outreach throughout the region and will oversee employment service and job training operations, including Workforce Investment Act and State Training Employment Programs. She will work out of the Bethel YK Delta Job Center.

 "Our goal is to deliver job training and employment services to rural Alaskans as directly and efficiently as possible. Barbara knows the region well and is eminently qualified. She'll do a great job," Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development Ed Flanagan said in making the announcement.

Cowboy grew up in rural Alaska, attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks and previously served as a manager with Labor's Job Training program in the YK Delta Job Center in Bethel.

Flanagan cited Cowboy's combination of education, training, and experience as obvious strengths she brings to serve the rural residents of this region and said she is particularly skilled at serving as a community link in economic development, typically between tribal governments, local leaders and contractors.

One of the primary responsibilities of this new post is to manage resources, which include staff and federally funded employment and training programs, to make sure that rural residents become economically self-sufficient by helping them into the labor force through sustainable jobs.

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