Oil and gas companies operating in Alaska are still hiring and training in large numbers, despite concerns about the future strength of the industry.

The Alaska Journal reports that while production is on the decline, companies still need highly trained workers to maintain and operate the wells.

Evidence of the importance of this can be found in the fact that all 100 students of the University of Alaska's process technology training programme graduating this year found jobs, with the majority now working in the energy industry.

Todd Bergman, executive director of the Alaska Process Industries Career Consortium, added that there is also a need to replace an ageing workforce.

"The average age in this workforce is 52 or 53, and there's a lot of attrition due to retirements," he said.

As in many oil-producing states, there is concern about how regulatory reforms will affect the US industry in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon spill.

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