Tlingit & Haida and Generations Southeast marked a major milestone Monday with a groundbreaking ceremony for a new student dormitory at the Generations Southeast Prince of Wales campus in Klawock.

The dormitory represents a key step in expanding access to vocational and technical education across Southeast Alaska. Once completed, the facility will provide safe, affordable and supportive housing for students attending training at the campus, removing a significant barrier for individuals who live outside the immediate area.

“This groundbreaking is about more than a building. It is about removing one of the biggest barriers for students who want to pursue training — having a place to live while they learn,” said Tlingit & Haida President Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson. “We aren’t just breaking ground on a dorm. We’re breaking ground on opportunity — opportunity for students, opportunity for families and opportunity for the future workforce of Prince of Wales Island and Southeast Alaska.”

Generations Southeast provides hands-on vocational and technical training designed to connect students with employment opportunities in Southeast Alaska. Training includes welding, construction and skilled trades, commercial driver’s license and transportation programs, along with other career and technical education opportunities.

The addition of student housing will allow Generations Southeast to reach more students from Prince of Wales Island and communities throughout Southeast Alaska.

“A classroom can teach a skill, but having a place to live gives a student the opportunity to complete the journey,” Peterson said. “We want people throughout Southeast Alaska to be able to access training and build careers without having to leave the region.”

Investing in Southeast Alaska’s Workforce

The dormitory project is supported in part through the State of Alaska’s Technical and Vocational Education Program (TVEP), which provides funding to career and technical education entities that prepare Alaskans for employment in industries important to the state’s economy.

Sealaska has made a financial commitment over the next three years to Generations Southeast, as well as $1.5 million directed toward the construction of student dorm facilities. This investment represents a powerful vote of confidence in Generations Southeast. “For so many people, pursuing education means having to leave home,” said Sealaska President Sarah Dybdahl. “These are opportunities that can happen locally, allowing our community members to train, work and build their futures here.”

Joining President Dybdahl from Sealaska was CEO Terry Downes. “When I first walked around the campus, I couldn’t believe what a beautiful facility it was and how much potential it had,” said Downes. “The funding is one part of it; the difficult part is making things happen, particularly in remote communities. None of this would be happening without Charles Edwardson. He has taken something that was dormant and helped turn it into something vital. His ability to network and bring people together is outstanding.”

The investment recognizes the important connection between education, infrastructure and economic development. Providing both training and housing will help students complete programs that prepare them for jobs in industries experiencing workforce needs across Southeast Alaska, including construction, skilled trades, transportation and maritime industries.

“Workforce development is infrastructure,” Peterson said. “When we invest in the places where people can learn, train and live, we are investing directly in our communities and our regional economy.”

The project also reflects a growing partnership with Sealaska, the State of Alaska which has made a financial commitment to Generations Southeast over the next three years, along with targeted funding toward construction of student dormitory facilities.

State Investment Supports Regional Workforce Development

The groundbreaking builds on significant investment Tlingit & Haida has secured for Generations Southeast through TVEP. Generations Southeast’s Prince of Wales campus was added to the statewide TVEP network beginning in 2025, providing an ongoing source of funding to expand vocational and technical education in Southeast Alaska.

Senator Bert Stedman was instrumental in securing TVEP funding for Generations Southeast, providing a stable source of funding to support continued growth of vocational and technical education on Prince of Wales Island.

“We now have a solid revenue stream that allows us to advance housing and the training facility right here on Prince of Wales,” said Senator Bert Stedman. “The Generations Southeast dormitory will provide stability for students traveling from communities throughout Southeast Alaska to pursue training.”

For Fiscal Year 2027, Generations Southeast has been awarded approximately $1.34 million in TVEP funding. The program supports technical and vocational training aligned with regional workforce needs and can also support capital improvements that strengthen Alaska’s training infrastructure.

For Generations Southeast, that investment is helping build a comprehensive workforce development program on Prince of Wales Island — expanding hands-on training, strengthening facilities and creating pathways for Alaskans to enter high-demand careers.

“The State of Alaska’s investment recognizes that workforce development is infrastructure,” said Tlingit & Haida President Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson. “When we invest in the places where people can learn, train and live, we are investing directly in our communities and our regional economy.”

TVEP funding has already helped Generations Southeast expand career and technical education opportunities, including carpentry and welding programs. The investment complements support from Tlingit & Haida, Sealaska and other partners working to build a stronger regional workforce.

Building Opportunity Close to Home

The dormitory is part of a broader vision for the Prince of Wales campus as a regional learning hub — a place where students can learn, train, live and build relationships while remaining connected to their communities and culture.

For Tlingit & Haida, the investment is also about creating pathways for future generations and strengthening Southeast Alaska communities.

“We aren’t training people for jobs somewhere else,” Peterson said. “We’re helping Southeast communities build the workforce they need here.”

Generations Southeast Director Chas Edwardson said expanding housing at the campus will change what is possible for students, particularly those traveling from other communities to participate in training.

The dormitory will allow students to focus on their education rather than having to independently find short-term housing while completing a program. By making training more accessible locally, Generations Southeast also aims to keep more talent in the region and create pathways to long-term careers.

The Prince of Wales campus is located at 6565 Boundary Road in Klawock and serves as a regional center for vocational, technical and workforce education.

The groundbreaking represents another step toward the long-term development of the campus and Generations Southeast’s mission to create accessible educational opportunities that strengthen individuals, families and communities.

“Years from now, we won’t remember today simply as the day construction began,” Peterson said. “We’ll remember it as the day we took another step toward making education and opportunity more accessible to the people of Southeast Alaska.”