About GILA

Galena Interior Learning Academy’s residential campus is located in Galena, Alaska, in the heart of the Interior on the mighty Yukon River. Positioned on and around the former Galena Air Force Base and adjacent to the airstrip, just north of the river and northwest of town, GILA is surrounded by wilderness. 

GILA offers vocational training in aviation, culinary arts, automotive mechanics, welding, woodworking, cosmetology, health sciences, media and information technology, and drone aviation—along with a rigorous academic curriculum. Students have come from many communities across Alaska to take advantage of GILA’s unique career and technical education opportunities. 

GILA enjoys long-running partnerships with the City of Galena, Louden Tribal Council, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and various local organizations and Alaskan businesses. These partnerships help prepare GILA students for continued study at the University, post-secondary career and technical training centers, or for direct entry into the workforce.  

The campus is continually growing and changing, with new buildings being acquired, remodeled, or built. The many facilities available to students provide the luxuries and technology less common in typical Alaska bush communities. Likewise, the community of Galena offers a multitude of leisure and outdoor activities, community and cultural events, and valuable resources and services.