NMC gears up for info-tech courses

In line with government’s plans to establish a software production industry on the islands, the Northern Marianas College is laying the ground work for a technology-based program that will address the Commonwealth’s impending need for skilled local manpower.

NMC acting President Jack Sablan disclosed that discussions are already underway for the proposed institution of an Information Technology course at the College.

Mr. Sablan pointed out that Northern Marianas is currently faced with an acute shortage of technically skilled and trained local workers due to the absence of sufficient educational programs focused at computer technology.

Officials from the College and the CNMI government are now discussing the possibility of establishing computer programming and technical courses with technology experts from Guam.

“We are hoping that by being able to establish our own technology programs at the College, we will be able to produce skilled local workers who may be able to compete for high-paying private sector jobs,” Mr. Sablan said.

At present, CNMI does not have sufficient number of local manpower who will do the required technical work, like computer maintenance and repair, required by thousands of companies in the Northern Marianas who rely heavily on computers.

Since information technology in the CNMI is still in its infancy, Philippine officials have previously raised the possibility of having the country’s premier computer educational institutions like the AMA College and the STI Colleges in the Northern Marianas.

House Speaker Benigno Fitial is hoping to diversify the local economy by luring Asian investors to establish their software production facilities here whose produce can be exported to the mainland United States duty-free.

But the CNMI government would have to take a thorough review before efforts to promote a data processing industry are put forward since this sector requires a well-prepared local labor force.

Software production is a labor-intensive industry which may require the importation of highly skilled technicians. The local labor force is not yet sufficiently trained in software production technology.

Until local skills can be developed, the CNMI government should be able to provide the proposed software production sector the ability to import skilled and inexpensive labor from Asia.