NMC Partners With Workforce "Action Team"

NMC partners with workforce ‘action team’
Tuesday, 09 March 2010 00:00 By Junhan B. Todeno - Reporter
E-mail Print

NORTHERN Marianas College officials last week met with the Strategic Workforce Action Team, which aims to “enhance” the labor market.

Representatives of the Strategic Workforce Action Team meet in a conference room at Northern Marianas College.“It has been found in studies that a thriving community has a trained and qualified labor workforce,” NMC interim President Lorraine T. Cabrera said.

The members of the action team include representatives from the Northern Marianas Trades Institute, International

Business and Professional College, NMC, the Public School System, the Workforce Investment Agency, the Department of Labor, the Office of Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, the Department of Public Health and the Saipan Chamber of Commerce.

They discussed labor market information, including labor demand and supply as well as education.

They also talked about economic development, funding assistance and resources for employers, partnerships with the U.S. Apprenticeship Program, vocational and technical training, financial aid for college, challenges and barriers, and strategies for effective collaborative relationships.

“The information that is gathered through meetings such as this is significant to the success of employers and employees in the CNMI,” Cabrera said.

She said the team was formed in Sept. 2007 and is made up of organizations that have strong interest in workforce development and labor force preparation.

The action team, which meets on a quarterly basis, serves as a program advisory council to NMC on workforce development and continuing education needs.

It advises the college on labor market needs and the preparedness of the current and emerging labor supply.

Department of Labor and SWAT Invited to Present to 15th General Assembly of the Association of Mariana Islands Mayors On Labor Issues

Alfred Pangelinan, Director of CNMI Labor's Employment Services Division; Bert Johnston, Education Director of Trades Academy of Guam; Cinta M. Kaipat, Deputy Secretary of CNMI Department of Labor; Eric Plinske, Director of NMC's Small Business Development and SWAT Coordinator; Edith Guerrero, Executive Director for the CNMI Workforce Investment Agency (WIA); and Alice Concepcion, CNMI Labor Employment Services Supervisor.
SWAT Team at 15th General Assembly of the Association of Mariana Islands Mayors
Deputy Labor Secretary Cinta Kaipat speaks to Assembly on PL 15-108 and SWAT
Deputy Secretary of Labor Kaipat fields questions from the mayors and council members
SWAT Coordinator Eric Plinske (NMC) gives an overview of SWAT's mission
List of SWAT Partners


Friday February 29, 2008

NMI mayors no show at general assembly

By Emmanuel T. Erediano Variety News Staff

THE 15th general assembly of Association of Mariana Islands Mayors, Vice Mayors and Municipal Council Members is hosted by the CNMI but none of its mayors showed up for the meeting that started yesterday at the Saipan Grand Hotel in Susupe.

Sixteen municipal officials traveled all the way from Guam to attend the assembly where they discussed the economic impact to the region of the pending military build-up.

The group will elect a new set of officers today.

Tinian Mayor Jose San Nicolas confirmed attendance days ago, but due to “unforeseen circumstances,” he said his presence will not be possible.

San Nicolas said he is sending Tinian Municipal Council Chairman Antonio H. Tudela to attend on his behalf.

He said in a letter addressed to the association that “I strongly value our association and believe that the end results of our objectives will be realized if we work together.”

San Nicolas said he has to hold a very important meeting with the department heads on Tinian.
Rota Mayor Joseph S. Inos also sent a letter to group saying his tight schedule does not allow him to leave Rota. He instead sent Alfred M. Apatang Jr. as his proxy.

Northern Islands Mayor Valentin I. Taisakan, according to the assembly secretariat, did not confirm his attendance prior to the assembly.

Saipan Mayor Juan B.Tudela, the secretariat said, has resigned from the association years ago.

Those who attended from the CNMI are the members of the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council, which is composed of Chairwoman Antonia M. Tudela, Vice Chairman Ray Blas Camacho and member Felipe Q. Atalig; the Rota Municipal Council’s Roy James A. Masga, Alfred M. Apatang Jr., and Vicente M.Calvo; and the Tinian council’s Antonio Borja, Charlene M. Lizama and Eugenio L. Villagomez.

Department of Labor Deputy Secretary Cinta Kaipat, Division of Employment and Training Services Director Alfred Pangelinan, Labor supervisor Alice Concepcion, Northern Marianas College’s Eric Plinske and Workforce Investment Agency’s Edith Deleon Guerrero were invited to make a presentation on CNMI labor issues. They all showed up.

Guam Mayors Council executive director John F. Blas declined to comment on the CNMI mayors’ absence.

All he could say is that the meeting is important as it focuses on the pending military build-up.
“The economic opportunity brought about by the military build up on Guam will, at some point, impact the CNMI,” Blas said.

He added that yesterday’s meeting also focused on CNMI’s labor situation and the Guam Contractors Association need for skilled workers.