IPI’s ‘Earn & Learn’ program produces 1st batch

A step closer to fulfilling their dreams.

Three residents are the successful cohorts of the Local Internship Program of Imperial Pacific International – Learning and Development Department, which is implemented in partnership with the Northern Marianas Trades Institute.

This pioneering internship initiative was established to facilitate the growing demand for highly skilled-and-trained workers in the CNMI.

As a program course, it was designed for IPI’s Learning and Development Department to provide students the opportunity to consolidate and apply their learning in a meaningful and relevant on-the-job experience.

The course also focused on structured learning, and the opportunity to complete a 240-hour comprehensive internship—both essential and critical in completing the course requirements.

Also known as the “Earn & Learn Partnership Program,” Imperial Pacific also provides stipends to the interns as way of valuing their work.

These cohorts have completed internship in hotel operations, sales and marketing, housekeeping and food and beverage departments of Imperial Pacific International.

Upon their completion, on Thursday the three successful pioneers—Charing Reyes, Evalyn Lizama and Leila Hicking—were immediately offered dream jobs.

“This is a great program for our company and also for the community. We provide opportunities for students to experience what business is like in the real world,” said IPI’s senior vice president of hotel operations Jerry Miao. “Not only do we want to provide the skills for them to be able to deliver meaningful service to the community, but also, we want to make sure it impacts their lives in a positive way.”

Jerry Young, director of Learning & Development of Imperial Pacific International (CNMI), LLC, noted how the internship program capitalizes on building the local workforce.

“This internship is a ‘learn and earn partnership’” Young said. “While they are doing their internship work, they earn money and at the same time, they learn skills and knowledge from the opportunities that are available to them and apply what they have learned from the experience. So, it is a win-win opportunity.”

IPI’s vice president of Group Human Resources Cathy Lei said the program was designed to engage young adults.

“This is a great chance for us to engage with the young adults in the community and show them the different positions we have to offer. With this internship program, you are guaranteed a spot and you will receive the same type of training that you would if you were an actual employee of the company,” Lei said. “This is a good way to get your foot in the door.”

Jumpstarting the future

For the interns, IPI’s Local Internship Program was the much-needed link to jumpstart their dream careers.

On Thursday, the journey began for the three. They were honored and recognized in a ceremony as the first batch of cohorts that have successfully completed the comprehensive Local Internship Program of Imperial Pacific International’s Learning and Development Department.

“I really had fun and I highly recommend this program to others,” said Reyes, who ultimately got a job with the casino food and beverage department of Imperial Pacific.

Reyes highlighted how the program helped her become self-sufficient as a single parent. “The program helped me in many ways. [Through this program] I don’t have to depend on my parents at all. I can get my children what they need…and I also can contribute to the household.”

The program, she added, taught her to be more responsible.

“My family trusts me now because they see that I am responsible. I’m so glad I got hired and I plan to be here long-term. I love where I’m working. I thank you for this opportunity,” added Reyes.

She is eager to grow and learn within Imperial Pacific. “I hope to venture into the other departments within the company to familiarize myself with the different work environments. I am really excited to start in the new casino.”

Lizama is about to embark on her dream career. The program opened up opportunities she thought were beyond her reach.

“I got to witness firsthand how challenging and rewarding it could be to work in the hospitality industry. This internship really helped me not just financially but also it taught me a lot,” she said.

As a mother of two, Lizama said she now can provide for the needs of her children.

“I’m a mother of two and I can now give my kids what they want because I make my own money. I’d like to thank IPI…for really pushing us, for welcoming me and respecting me, not just as an intern but an actual employee,” Lizama said.

For Hicking, the program made her a better person.

“I learned more than I thought I could ever learn. I’m not really a proactive person, but this internship really taught me to get up and start helping my household,” she said. “ I don’t have any kids but I do have parents and relatives that need help and thought I should start doing something about it.”

Hicking also acknowledged NMTI for introducing her to Imperial Pacific’s Local Internship Program. “They helped to get me here and this internship taught me a lot. I realized that I am able to do more than I expected I could do,” said Hicking. “I would like to thank IPI, especially the supervisors that watched over us for the past few months. They’ve been very patient with teaching us and helping us learn step by step.”

Experiential learning

The Local Internship Program will continue to help residents pursue their dream careers, through the opportunity to experience new set of skills needed in today’s competitive job market.

“They are given the opportunity to gain experience from different departments and if they’re unsure about what they’re really interested in, this program can help them figure that out. From there, we develop the skills that are necessary to perform successfully in that department. We ensure they’re placed in positions that cater to their talents and preferences,” said Lucy Guo, IPI’s vice president of Hospitality and Affairs.

IPI’s vice president of Hotel Operations Eddy Ram explained how the program was uniquely designed.

“Most Interns come in when a hotel is already operational. Our first set of interns had the chance to actually be involved in the pre-opening period to see how the hotel is being set up,” Ram said.

IPI’s Sales and Marketing director Yun Hee Yi shared her experience in working directly with the local interns. “Providing them with this opportunity was great because the company is fairly new and they got to experience some of the things that a new company goes through.” (PR)