20 graduate from LTA health courses

The Latte Training Academy, Inc. held a completion ceremony last month for 20 residents who took up allied health courses.

The organization recognized the 20 for completing courses on certified medical billing & coding specialist, certified phlebotomy technician, and certified nursing assistant, instructed through training partner Guam Marianas Training Center here on Saipan.

Each student completed their respective course and will sit for the national certification examination.

Each program, accredited through the National Healthcareer Association and the American Medical Certification Association, requires 80 to 160 hours of coursework as well as practicum experience prior to sitting for the examinations.

The Latte Training Academy, a 501c3 non-profit, has trained and certified over 500 CNMI residents in the areas of hotel & hospitality and allied health fields in just three short years.

The successes of these courses led the organization to add business and information technology certification courses to its offerings.

“We are concentrating our efforts on the industries that are most affected by the CW immigration issues,” said LTA director Tina Palacios.

LTA president Juan-Carlos Benitez said: “We are very proud of the work that we have done thus far. Our organization and student accomplishments speak for themselves. These training achievements and their impact on the islands’ increased reliance on local workforce were highlighted in the CNMI’s testimony at the U.S. Senate hearing in Washington, D.C. While we are grateful for the success that our students have achieved, we certainly are not in this alone. The business community and our partners have played a critical role in ensuring that our students find success in the workplace.”

During the July Chamber of Commerce meeting, Chamber president Velma Palacios said of the Latte Training Academy attainments, “These results are the type of hard numbers we need to see in response to the CW immigration issue.”

LTA is looking forward to the governor’s transfer of the administration of the CW funding to the Scholarship Office next fiscal year.

“This will allow students to choose their program of choice at any training facility including LTA. Being recognized as a facility eligible for that funding source will not only help our programs to expand but allow students greater access and choice,” said LTA executive director Arielle Buyum.

In addition to providing workforce development, LTA gives back to the community. The organization donated over $6,000 in the wake of Typhon Soudelor. In addition, LTA provides $11,000 each year in college scholarships. This year’s scholarship winners will soon be announced. (PR)