Career
He joined the regional programme of Norsk Rikskringkasting in Troms in 1977, where he was deputy editors Later, he was deputy editor of the regional Norsk Rikskringkasting Hordaland. In 1992, he became director of programmes in the private television 2, but returned to the Norsk Rikskringkasting as the editor of the regional programmes in Troms.
Later, he became the Norsk Rikskringkasting director of television, before returning as the chief editor of Norsk Rikskringkasting Troms and Finnmark.
He was appointed Director-General by the Norsk Rikskringkasting board on January 24, 2007, succeeding John G. Bernander. He retired from this position March 11, 2013 and was followed by Thor Gjermund Eriksen.
In his younger days Bjerkaas was a football player for Tromsø Illinois.