THE Northern Marianas Technical Institute has signed a memorandum of understanding with Micronesia Resort Inc. — E-Land Corp.’s subsidiary that operates Kensington — to allow NMTech’s culinary students to work at the hotel and its restaurants as interns.
NMTech Chief Executive Officer Jodina Attao said she and MRI Human Resources Director Jay Ahn signed the MOU two weeks ago. It was also around that time when MRI notified CNMI Labor Secretary Leila Staffler about the reduction-in-force that will take effect this month, and the reduction of hours that took effect on April 18, 2025.
The number of Kensington employees who are affected by the reduced work hours is 179, including 12 executives.
Ahn told Staffler that the hotel management would finalize “a new business operational model [during] these challenging times for the survival of the company.”
In an interview on Thursday, Attao said under the MOU, NMTech students will work with Kensington in the culinary, construction, electrical, welding, and carpentry fields.
She said NMTech students will also support hotel operations and work in Kensington’s restaurants that are in need of staff.
When asked how many NMTech interns could work for Kensington, Attao said it would depend on the number of students completing their courses this year.
Last year, NMTech graduated 102 students from its culinary, construction, welding, carpentry, and electrical programs.
Attao said they do not yet have the exact number of students who will complete their courses this year, but NMTech has so far certified 200 graduates in hospitality.
When asked if the NMTech interns who will work at Kensington will be paid, Attao said only those who qualify under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, administered by the CNMI Workforce Investment Agency, will receive monetary compensation.
“It is an unpaid internship unless a student is qualified through … WIA,” Attao said. Some, but not all, of the interns may qualify. Kensington is not required to pay the interns. Instead, the hours students spend in the internship are counted as a supplement to their coursework upon completion of the class, she added.
Kensington earlier announced that it will temporarily close from June 9 to July 6, 2025.
CNMI tourism arrivals and hotel occupancy rates remain well below their pre-pandemic levels.
