Torres seeks to overhaul local employment and training system

By Marian A. Maraya

Staff Reporter

Rep. William S. Torres is pushing for the implementation of a comprehensive manpower development plan in a bid to prepare the local workforce meet the rigorous employment challenges of the new millennium.

The legislator is then calling for a dialogue between the Legislative leadership and Northern Marianas employment and training agencies through an oversight hearing with hopes of establishing better coordination among the entities involved in the development of CNMI’s human resources.

The congressman is seeking the attendance of such agencies as the Department of Labor and Immigration, Public School System, Northern Marianas College, Workforce Investment Act Office (formerly the Job Training and Partnership Act), and other related institutions.

“The key issue here is the urgency to address the islands’ need for skilled laborers. There is a common perception out there that some agencies tasked to assist our workers are not really preparing their clients to meet the challenges of the future in terms of job skills and know-how,” said the lawmaker.

In a recently introduced resolution, Mr. Torres said that a coordinated workforce readiness system patterned after the commonwealth’s over-all economic development strategy would guide federal and commonwealth resources in a manner that promotes a high quality, globally competitive workforce.

He also insisted on the need to review existing employment training programs if they are truly accomplishing their intended goals and objectives as service providers.

“We need to gather and assign a partial body that would examine CNMI’s manpower priorities. Much of the assessments done were conducted in an isolated manner and what we need is a comprehensive review, with all principal parties present…to once and for all, lay it out in the open,” he added.

Mr. Torres expressed hopes the Legislative leadership would expedite efforts to push through with the oversight hearing before the year ends.

“The end result would hopefully for everyone to come up with a set of recommendations that each employment and training agency will be required to follow faithful to the Commonwealth’s agenda,” he said.

The legislator has also floated the possibility of establishing a Workforce Investment Commission that would be tasked to assess the labor market and develop a local strategic plan to optimize federal and commonwealth workforce readiness resources.

The entity is also eyed to address the concerns of traditionally marginalized populations who constitute the majority of new entrants to the workforce by developing specific plans and activities to serve the CNMI population.

It will also act to influence program management and resource allocation by analyzing local needs and opportunities and coordinating federal and commonwealth resources to achieve defined goals, according to Mr. Torres.