NMC eyes $1.3M CW fee for US apprenticeship program

Northern Marianas College president Sharon Y. Hart wants to use the $1.3 million the college expects to get from the Commonwealth workers’ fee collected by the government from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service to run the U.S. apprenticeship program at the college.

Hart, in a letter to Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, said that NMC has already laid the groundwork for the implementation of the apprenticeship program and, in fact, invested more than $200,000 to launch it in September 2011 but more funding is needed for its continued operation.

“The budget needed to continue and sustain this program is $1.3 million, and we are asking for the allocation-in this amount-of the CW fees that have been paid to the CNMI government for the purpose of funding ongoing vocational educational curricula and program development,” said Hart, adding that the success of the U.S. Apprenticeship Program at NMC will depend on the administration’s decision to grant this request.

NMC wants to use the money to train over 600 apprentices in the first year and over 900 by the second year. Apprenticeship programs vary in length from one year to five years.

Hart said it is highly important that the CNMI fund the program immediately so that the CNMI can be positioned to effectively deal with the expected departure of contract workers in 2014.

According to Hart, NMC continues to receive a dramatically low proportion of state budget appropriations compared to other states and territories. In fact, while the average state allocation to higher education is at 14 percent in the U.S. mainland, NMC has received only 4 percent of the total CNMI budget this fiscal year, she said.

By allocating the $1.3 million CW fee to the program, this will be a great opportunity to not only invest in the college, but also in the local workforce, Hart said.

She enumerated the multiple advantages of the apprenticeship program if successfully implemented in the Commonwealth, including immediate employment, including wages, for U.S. citizens or those with permanent residency status and students obtaining their work experience on-the-job and related training through NMC.

The program is also certified by U.S. Department of Labor and, with approximately 1,000 apprenticeship occupations available, NMC will be able to place an apprentice where skilled workers are most needed, she said.

Hart described the apprenticeship program as a critical education and training model since 1937, placing employees in high-growth and high-demand employment areas that are essential to the CNMI’s economic growth.

The Workforce Investment Agency will be referring to NMC registered participants whose occupational goals are aligned with apprenticeship. WIA, Hart said, will also be instrumental in leveraging subsidized wages for the apprentices.

Citing U.S. Department of Labor statistics, Hart said apprentice graduates are more likely to become supervisors and less likely to experience unemployment compared to non-apprenticed workers and they gain work credentials and certifications that are nationally-recognized upon completion.

The president pointed out that apprenticeship will be available to students across the CNMI with additional emphasis on Tinian and Rota and high school students over 16 years old who meet the requirements for entry can become apprentices.