Home Health Aides

Alaska has one of the most stringent training requirements for Home Health Aides which includes:

  1. Minimum 140 hours of training
  2. Minimum 80 hours of clinical training
  3. Minimum 12 hours of in-service training in each calendar year provided by the home health agency

In Alaska, home health aide services can only be provided by:

  1. Nurse aide certified by the Board of Nursing
  2. Who has not been reported in the registry of certified nurses for abuse, neglect etc
  3. Has a valid criminal history check

Median Annual Wage $24,000 – $35,000

Education Requirements, Wages, Subjobs, Schooling
Getting Degrees on the Kenai Peninsula
Kenai Peninsula Apprenticeships and Training programs

Dental

Top hot jobs under this field:

Dental Assistant

  • Have a high school diploma or GED.
  • Complete a training program, which includes class work, lab work and a clinical externship.
  • May become certified by taking a national certification exam. Hot Job in Dental Careers: Dental Assistant Dental assisting programs typically offer either a certificate or an associate’s degree. A certificate usually takes one year of full-time study after high school, while an associate’s degree takes two to three years.

Dentist: Median Annual Wage $140,000 – $250,000  

Dental Assistant: Median Annual Wage $35,000 – $53,000 

Getting Degrees on the Kenai Peninsula
Kenai Peninsula Apprenticeships and Training programs

Behavioral Health

High school diploma or GED.

  • Complete a two-year associate’s degree (to be a paraprofessional) or a four-year bachelor’s degree (to be a professional).
  • You may also continue your education and advance your career by pursuing a graduate degree.

Top Hot Jobs under this field

Case Manager/Care Coordinator

  • May take an exam to become certified in case management

Social Worker

  • Obtain a license
  • Pass an exam

Case Manager/Care Coordinator: Median Annual Wage $38,363

Social Worker: Median Annual Wage $52,000 – $82,000

Getting Degrees on the Kenai Peninsula
Kenai Peninsula Apprenticeships and Training programs

Medical Provider

Top Hot jobs under this field

Community Health Aide

  • Have math and English skills at or beyond the sixth grade level.
  • Complete a series of basic training sessions and a clinical preceptorship.
  • Provide proof of current emergency trauma technician or emergency medical technician training/certification.
  • Complete a period of supervised clinical training.
  • Usually be a local resident who intends to remain in the village.
  • Be employed by a tribal health organization that operates a CHA program. The basic CHA training series, which consists of 15 weeks divided into four sessions, typically takes about 14 months to complete. CHAs are paid a salary during their training, which is offered at four regional centers across the state. CHAs may complete additional clinical requirements and take an exam to become a CHP. CHAs and CHPs may also work toward an associate of applied science degree.

Physician Assistant

  • Complete at least two years of undergraduate coursework in the sciences; some PA programs require a bachelor’s degree prior to admission. • Graduate from an accredited PA program.
  • Pass the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam.
  • Obtain a PA license from the Alaska State Medical Board. Earning a bachelor’s degree typically takes four to five years, and PA programs take an additional two years to complete. Near the end of your training, you’ll participate in supervised work experience. It’s important to note most PA programs require applicants to have previous health care experience. Some PAs begin their careers as community health aides

Family Physician

  • Earn a bachelor’s degree. Be sure to get high grades and take courses required for admission to medical school.
  • Graduate from medical school and complete an internship.
  • Pass a state licensing exam.
  • Complete a residency program in family and general medicine.
  • May pass additional exams to become board-certified. All together, it takes approximately 11 years of education after high school to become a family physician. Earning a bachelor’s degree takes approximately four years, medical school takes another four years, and residency programs usually last three years. Through WWAMI, Alaska’s medical school, you can complete three of your four years of medical school right here in Alaska

All need a high School Diploma or GED

Community Health Aide: Median Annual Wage $29,386  

Physician Assistant: Median Annual Wage $100,000 – $150,000  

Family Physician: Median Annual Wage $180,000 – $300,000

Kenai Peninsula Apprenticeships and Training programs

Nursing

Top hot jobs under this field

Certified Nurse Assistant

  • Complete a training program.
  • Complete a certification exam, depending on where you want to work. (Certification is required to work in long-term care and home health settings, and many hospitals and clinics also prefer to hire CNAs who hold certifications.) CNA training programs, which include a minimum of 60 hours of classroom instruction and 80 hours of supervised clinical practice

Registered Nurse

  • Complete an approved nursing program, which includes supervised clinical work experience, typically in hospitals or other medical settings. –Pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Most nurses either earn an associate’s degree, which takes two to three years, or a bachelor’s degree, which takes four to five years. RNs can also pursue graduate studies in specialty areas, such as community health, mental health, health care administration, surgical nursing, pediatrics and maternal health.

Critical Care Nurse

  • Complete an approved nursing program to become a registered nurse (RN).
  • Pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).
  • Obtain specialty instruction and practice in critical care. Most RN programs offer either an associate’s degree, which takes two to three years to complete, or a bachelor’s degree, which takes four to five years. To gain the additional knowledge and experience needed to become a CCN, RNs then complete a critical care training course or receive on-the-job training. While not required, CCNs may also become certified by passing an exam and meeting continuing education and clinical experience requirements.

High School diploma

Certified Nurse Assistant: Median Annual Wage $26,739

Registered Nurse: Median Annual Wage $50,000 – $86,000  

Critical Care Nurse: Median Annual Wage $84,800

Getting Degrees on the Kenai Peninsula

Clinical Services

Top hot jobs under this field

Medical Assistant

  • Have a high school diploma or GED.
  • Graduate from a medical assisting program.
  • May take a certification exam.
  • Medical assisting programs typically offer either a certificate or an associate’s degree. Certificates usually take about one year of full time study after high school, and associate’s degrees typically take two years. After graduation, medical assistants can also become certified by taking a certification exam.

Pharmacy Technician

  • Have a high school diploma or GED.
  • Be at least 18 years of age.
  • Complete on-the-job training or a formal training program.
  • Be fluent in reading, writing and speaking English.
  • Have an active Alaska State Pharmacy Technician License.
  • May become nationally certified. Employers often prefer applicants who have completed formal training. Formal pharmacy technician programs offer either certificates or associate’s degrees. Certificates usually take one year of full-time study, and associate’s degrees typically take two years. While not required, pharmacy technicians may also earn national certification by taking an exam.

Pharmacist

  • Have a high school diploma or GED.
  • Be fluent in reading, writing and speaking English.
  • Complete at least two years of accredited college work prior to entering pharmacy school.
  • Graduate from a four-year pharmacy school with a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degree.
  • May need to complete a residency after graduation.
  • Complete a 1,500-hour internship under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist.
  • Pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX) and Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE).
  • Obtain an Alaska pharmacist license.
  • Complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years. After high school, it takes approximately six years of education to become a pharmacist, including two years of college-level, pre-pharmacy courses and four years of pharmacy school. Some pharmacists choose to pursue advanced degrees, such as master’s degrees or doctorates. While there are currently no pharmacy programs in Alaska, planning has begun to bring and host programs in the state. A pre-pharmacy program is also under development. Learn more by reviewing the “training providers” section later in this publication.

Medical Assistant: Median Annual Wage $35,000 – $47,000  

Pharmacy Technician: Median Annual Wage $32,000 – $49,000  

Pharmacist: Median Annual Wage $140,000 – $170,000

Kenai Peninsula Apprenticeships and Training programs

Administrative Services

Top hot jobs under this field

Coding/Billing Specialist

  • Have a high school diploma or GED.
  • Complete coding/billing courses, receive on-the-job training or obtain a certificate.
  • May earn national certification. While a formal training program is not required for this position, there are a number of courses and certificate programs that prepare students to work as coding/billing specialists. Most certificate programs take two years or less to complete. Coding/billing specialists may also become certified. Due to the constant changes in medical office technology, it is also important for coding/billing specialists to take classes to keep their skills up to-date.

Health information Technician

  • Have a high school diploma or GED.
  • Graduate from a health information technology program.
  • May become certified. Most health information technology programs offer associate’s degrees, which take about two years to complete. Some health information technicians go on to earn bachelor’s degrees, which prepares them to work as managers or administrators. This degree takes about four years. After completing an accredited program, graduates are eligible to earn their Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) credential by passing a national exam. Technicians with the RHIT credential are required to complete 20 hours of continuing education every two years.

Coding/Billing Specialist: Median Annual Wage $46,746

Health Information Technician: Median Annual Wage $47,020

Getting Degrees on the Kenai Peninsula
Kenai Peninsula Apprenticeships and Training programs

Public Health

Top hot jobs under this field

Health Educator

  • Have a high school diploma or GED.
  • Earn at least a bachelor’s degree, usually in community health education, health education, public health education, or school health education.
  • Many health educators also go on to earn a master’s degree, and some complete a doctoral degree program. Getting a bachelor’s degree takes about four years of full-time study after high school. A master’s degree usually takes five to six years, and a doctoral degree typically takes about 10 years.

Health Educator: Median Annual Wage $56,000 – $91,000

Getting Degrees on the Kenai Peninsula

Diagnostic Services

Top hot jobs under this field

Medical Laboratory Technician

  • Have a high school diploma or GED, preferably with a background in science and math.
  • Complete a MLT program. Most MLT programs offer an associate’s degree, which usually takes two years to earn. Some MLTs go on to complete more advanced medical programs to become medical technologists or physician assistants.

Radiographic Technologist

  • Have a high school diploma or GED.
  • Complete a radiologic technology training program, preferably with an associate’s degree or greater.
  • May earn national certification by taking an exam. Most radiographic technologists earn at least an associate’s degree, which takes about two years of study, while others go on to earn a four-year bachelor’s degree. Students may also pursue training in specialty areas, such as nuclear medicine technology, mammography, CT scanning, MRI and radiation therapy.

Medical Laboratory Technician: Median Annual Wage $49,000 – $72,000 

Radiographic Technologist: Median Annual Wage $56,000 – $81,000 

Getting Degrees on the Kenai Peninsula
Kenai Peninsula Apprenticeships and Training programs