Apprenticeship Outreach: Alex Bergman

Alex Bergman knew he was going nowhere fast in his hometown village of Allakaket, 200 miles northwest of Fairbanks. He says he was living the nightlife and drinking heavily. Although he worked some seasonal firefighting and hunted and fished, it wasn’t stable work. Bergman knew that if he was going to make anything of his life, he first had to lay off the bottle. Then he needed a steady job.

Five and a half years ago, Bergman made the commitment to stay sober and he credits that decision to the success he enjoys today. At age 29, he is just weeks away from becoming a journeyman painter and taper after 6,000 hours of work and training. His journey to success began when he saw a flyer in the Allakaket Tribal Office advertising six week of free construction training. He called Alaska Works Partnership, hoping the opportunity for training would eventually land him a good job.

Alaska Works Partnership helped Bergman with travel expenses to Fairbanks to attend the training. AWP sponsored the training along with the Painters and Allied Trades union. Impressed by his enthusiasm and work ethic, his instructors encouraged Bergman to apply for an apprenticeship. AWP assisted him in that application process.

After he was accepted into an apprenticeship, Bergman moved his family to Fairbanks. “This was a great opportunity for our whole family,” Bergman says. “Sheryl went back to school. Now our son is in kindergarten and plays soccer.” The couple also has a one year old son and they recently purchased a house.

Bergman is happy with his career choice. He is grateful to AWP for the experience and training he received, and “the chance to do something with my life.”

Bergman has been employed by Gunderson Painting for the past year and a half. His foreman, Charlie Young, calls him a “model employee” and a “great role model for the Native community.”

“You have to work hard at what you want to do,” Bergman says. “If you want to do something like this, you can, but you have to be drug and alcohol free. The opportunities are there.”