Rotary pledges to assist CNMI vocational needs

The Saipan Rotary Club recently reaffirmed its commitment in assisting the Public School System’s Vocational Education and Technological Program.

Stirred by the success of last October’s Vocational Summit, the organization listed an action plan to beef up the field of vocational studies in the Commonwealth.

Vocational committee chair Ben Babauta told the media during the weekly Rotary meeting at the Hyatt Regency Saipan early this month that Rotary, in line with its community service mission, would collaborate with the PSS as well as the Northern Marianas College to assist the immediate needs of the program.

The action plan includes frequent visits to high schools for assessment. “Surveys will be conducted at junior and senior high schools to provide focus on career interest inventory,” said the report.

Rotary will also help in the survey of employer needs for the CNMI Scholarship Board for the three islands.

The club also will assist in career fairs, partnering with the college to ensure prospective students to participate in the event. The club will also collaborate with the Workforce Investment Agency to tap its resources for the program.

Rotary’s action plan also noted that there would be continuous follow up on the data provided by the PSS. The club will also help in tapping the private sector to partner in an “open door” training and technical assistance.

Babauta said they have already visited some high schools such as the Marianas High School for assessment.

Rotary held a series of half-day vocational summits for the islands’ young adults in September and October. Babauta earlier said the summit was in line with the club’s mission to assist local youth in achieving their goals by pursuing vocational fields.

He said Rotary is hoping to connect with participants through an open dialogue with educators where obstacles that stand in the way of having a successful vocational agenda can be identified.

During the summit, it was reported that partnerships within the business community, the CNMI State Board of Education, and the PSS is key toward creating more certified, skilled residents in the CNMI, according to Workforce Investment Agency director Jesse Stein.

Stein also lamented the lack of vocational training schools in the CNMI. In the construction industry, there are more contract workers who are skilled in the profession—1,549 Filipinos, 132 Chinese, 38 Bangladeshis, 11 Koreans and 1 Thai.

He said if one would ask if there were any local heavy equipment operators in the CNMI, the answer would be “none.” They are all contracted out, he added. He, however, is happy to see that a successful partnership is now developing between NMC and the Commonwealth Health Center.