NMTI awarded $10.3M to build workforce training facility

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration is awarding a $10.3 million grant to the Northern Marianas Technical Institute to support workforce education and training through the construction of a new facility to house the school’s trades program. This EDA grant is expected to create 410 jobs, retain 385 jobs, and generate $2 million in private investment.

“EDA is pleased to support Northern Marianas Tech’s construction of its new workforce career training facility,” said Dennis Alvord, acting assistant secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “This project will help the Northern Mariana Islands respond to the economic impact of Super Typhoon Yutu by boosting training opportunities for citizens looking to compete for high-skill, high-wage jobs.” 

“We are very thankful to the Economic Development Administration for their support of our workforce education and training needs here in the CNMI,” said Gov. Ralph DLG Torres. “Local workforce development has always been my top priority, and this project will help us build a modern facility that will support the goals of our new NMTI board of trustees, led by [chair] Mario Valentino, on expanding educational offerings like construction and culinary and ultimately assist our residents get jobs within our community.”
“NMTI applied for this federal aid in September 2019, so it will be welcome news that the Biden administration is ending their long wait,” said Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP). “Together with the recently announced grants to Northern Marianas College, EDA is confirming that investing in education is key to recovery from Super Typhoon Yutu and the pandemic and one of the best ways for us to build back better.”

The project will fund the construction of a building to house classrooms and office space for NMTI’s trades programs, as well as ancillary infrastructure including roadway improvements and on-site parking. The new facility will be constructed to withstand future adverse weather events and will include a back-up generator, water storage tank, and typhoon shutters for all its glass windows. 

This project is funded by the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 (Public Law 116-20), which provided EDA with $600 million in additional Economic Adjustment Assistance Program funds for disaster relief and recovery for areas affected by hurricanes Florence, Michael, and Lane, typhoons Yutu and Mangkhut, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and other major natural disasters occurring in calendar year 2018, and tornadoes and floods occurring in calendar year 2019, under the Robert T. Stafford Act. (PR)