The Kuskokwim Corporation (TKC) has launched a new regional facility to help build employability skills, economic opportunity, and cultural connection in the Middle Kuskokwim. The Arviiq Regional Economic Development and Training Center in Aniak opened in early February and will begin its first trainings in the next few weeks.
TKC received the building from the Kuspuk School District after faculty and students moved into a new school over winter break. Arviiq is operated by TKC’s nonprofit TKC Fish Wheel, which was started in 2020. Arviiq translates to “sharpening stone” in Yup’ik, one of the region’s traditional languages.
“Our corporation’s motto is ‘cutting a path to a better future’ and the Arviiq Center will help the people of our region sharpen their skills and cut a path to economic success,” said Andrea Gusty, TKC’s president and CEO. “This is the realization of years of planning. We want to provide our Shareholders and people of the region with training courses closer to home.”
TKC has found that asking people to leave their homes and families for weeks, if not months, to attend training wasn’t setting them up for future success, and has been bringing trainings to the region for years. The new Arviiq Center will build on existing opportunities and will provide local workforce, cultural and other training. TKC will work with partners from around the state to offer these opportunities. Several trainings and cultural courses are already scheduled with regional partners over the next couple of months.
“Arviiq will break down the barriers to trainings that exist in the Middle Kuskokwim region, like cost, travel and lodging,” Gusty said. “We are building these opportunities with our people, and with our region. All of it will be done in a way that is enriched with the culture and values of the Middle Kuskokwim.”
The center’s courses will be developed with input from the community and regional partners. TKC plans to tailor the opportunities to better foster people’s success for both present and future opportunities. The corporation is planning upgrades and remodeling of the building using grant funding. Any work done will also serve as a teaching opportunity. From potentially installing a new HVAC system to carpentry work, skilled professionals will do the work while also using it as a training opportunity to pass along those skills.
For more information about the Arviiq Regional Economic Development and Training Center contact Andrea Gusty [email protected].
TKC was formed in 1977 by the merger of 10 ANCSA village corporations located along the middle region of the Kuskokwim River. The villages include Lower Kalskag, Upper Kalskag, Aniak, Chuathbaluk, Napaimute, Crooked Creek, Georgetown, Red Devil, Sleetmute and Stony River. These 10 villages combined their cash resources and land entitlements, allowing TKC to pursue new opportunities that would benefit all TKC Shareholders. Today, TKC Shareholders number more than 4,200 and live across Alaska and the nation.
