“WE’RE all aware of the workforce challenges. That’s what the [Northern Marianas Technical Institute] is there for,” said Senate Floor Leader Vinnie Sablan.
During a public hearing on Thursday to review the credentials of Ana Maria S. Mendiola, the governor’s nominee to the NMTI board of trustees, Sablan said, “Knowing that we are taking the steps to train our workforce, it gives us comfort to know that one day, in the future, the seeds that have been planted shall bear many fruits for our future workforce….”
It’s a new beginning for NMTI, he added, noting that a lot of decisions, adjustments, and restructuring will need to be made to ensure that the vision and the mission of the institute are attained.
“It’s no secret that we have workforce issues and challenges. Right now, some of the factors are the federal workforce and immigration mandates that are imposed upon us.”
Moreover, he said, the limited workforce remains a challenge.
He said it is very important to step out of the box and not just look at what is occurring here in the CNMI, but to also look at what is occurring in other countries and jurisdictions as well as funding opportunities.
Citing the federal funding through the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery program as well as the American Rescue Plan Act, Sablan said, “That’s a big chunk of money. Imagine the possibilities that could happen. But before we imagine those possibilities, we [have] to figure out the factors and what we need. Do we have enough workforce?”
The clock is ticking for the expenditure of these funds, he noted.
“We have to join hands and make these decisions together,” he said, noting that decisions made in one municipality affect the other municipalities as well.
He likewise recommended looking into other industries that can be beneficial for the CNMI.
Vinnie Sablan
