Outsourced aircraft and aviation operating services provider, Atlas Air Worldwide, has reaffirmed its partnership with the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), extending scholarship support and deepening collaboration on aviation workforce development in the state.

At a ceremony at Merrill Field, leaders from Atlas Air Worldwide and UAA joined faculty and students alongside US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy.

“President Trump and I are on a mission to make our airspace the envy of the world. We will build a brand-new air traffic control system and address a chronic shortage of controllers and pilots,” said Duffy. “President Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill delivered over $100 million into the Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative to deploy state of the art technology and train the next generation of aviation talent. I applaud Atlas Air Worldwide for doing their part to contribute to this mission.”

Anchorage’s role as a global air cargo hub underpins the initiative, with Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport ranked among the world’s top five busiest cargo airports. Atlas Air Worldwide said the renewed scholarship programme will continue to help students offset education costs across pilot training and aircraft maintenance pathways, building on 2024 awards of four scholarships for maintenance technician students and three for aspiring pilots.

“We are proud to continue our partnership with the University of Alaska Anchorage by creating opportunities to advance aviation education,” said Michael Steen, Atlas Air Worldwide chief executive. “By investing in workforce development locally, we are advancing our commitment to aviation in Alaska, and to the resilience of the broader aerospace industry. We are fully dedicated to supporting the efforts led by President Trump and Secretary Duffy to make our airspace the global gold standard.”

UAA emphasised the sector-wide impact of the funding. “We are grateful to Atlas Air Worldwide for its continued investment in UAA and our students,” said Ray Weber, Dean of UAA’s Community & Technical College. “This generous donation is transformative, helping us build a more qualified workforce that is vital to Alaska’s economic future and the broader industry. Thanks to Atlas, our students are gaining the training and credentials needed to pursue fulfilling careers, securing brighter prospects for the state’s workforce and beyond.”

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