Nicola Sundiam, 15, a Kagman High School student-intern at PHI Pharmacy Kagman Branch, assists a customer. Sundiam is one of the 60 students participating in the Public School System-Saipan Chamber of Commerce local workforce summer internship program.
Student-intern Khate Bernardo, 17, of Marianas High School is guided by Bank of Saipan teller Melanie Basa.
SIXTY public school students are receiving hands-on job training from several local businesses and organizations as part of the Public School System-Saipan Chamber of Commerce summer internship program.
These businesses are AP Group, LCC, Bank of Saipan, Coca-Cola Beverage Company, Transpacific International Inc., Marianas Pacific Distributors Inc., Paradise Dental Spa, PHI Pharmacy, Plumeria Steak House, Triple J Enterprises Inc. and Pacifica Insurance.
Also participating in the program are the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., PSS and the Chamber of Commerce itself.
The job positions are administrative assistant, administrative support, teller assistant, ancillary intern for physical therapy, ancillary intern for respiratory therapy, ancillary intern for radiology, ancillary intern for pharmacy, ancillary intern for laboratory, front desk clerk, sales representative, assistant, merchandiser assistant, pharmacy assistant, waiter/waitress, kitchen helper, general helper/maintenance, barista, cook helper, marketing assistant, administrative/customer service, graphic assistant, accounting assistant, and dental assistant.
Local capacity
The Chamber of Commerce and PSS, through its Career and Technical Education or CTE program, merged and expanded their existing workforce initiatives to give students a “real-world work experience” during an extended period of time.
The main goal of their partnership is to build local capacity, and its slogan is “Building Local Capacity One Student at a Time.”
“We really want to take this to the next level and provide [students] a longer job experience,” SCC Executive Director Kimberly C. Camacho said.
“We created this internship program with PSS for our students to learn and experience working with our industry partners for the whole summer,” she added.
She said SCC reached out to PSS-CTE Program Director Dr. Jessica Taylor, who has managed several career-oriented programs. PSS-CTE and Taylor’s guidance is invaluable, Camacho added.
The PSS-CTE program is federally funded.
Happy
Khate Bernardo, 17, is an intern at Bank of Saipan. She said she signed up “for experience and to [build] my résumé.”
“I am happy that PSS and the Chamber of Commerce has this kind of program,” she added.
Another Bank of Saipan intern, Huiyun Park, wants to “experience and explore different things…. I find [the job] interesting. A lot of work to do but I think it’s fun.”
Kagman High School student Lyticia Sanchez, 17, is an intern at the art department of Marianas Pacific Distributors Inc. or Marpac.
“Before I was really unsure if I wanted to pursue something in art, but now, I am pretty sure that I want to,” she said.
“This is a great experience, and I will recommend it to my friends and classmates. This is a great way to gain memories and experience what you will pursue in the future.”
Samantha Mangalinao, 16, an incoming junior at MHS, is an administrative assistant intern at Marpac’s office of the general manager.
“I didn’t want to stay at home the whole time this summer and do nothing,” she said. When she learned about the internship program, and the job experiences it offers, she signed up because “it gives us the needed support for our future career.”
Good workplace
At PHI Pharmacy, Nicole Sundiam, 15, of Kagman High School receives prescriptions from customers and helps keep records.
“I am really happy because this is a good workplace,” she said.
“I will recommend [the program] to anyone who wants to experience possible career choices. It’s different for everyone. No matter where you get placed at, you can get enough work experience so you will end up working somewhere you enjoy.”
Aaron Velasco Jr., a 16-year-old student of Marianas High School, is a pharmacy assistant at PHI Dandan.
“I am happy that I am part of this program because I do need to experience the job of being a pharmacist,” Velasco said.
His brother Aldrich, 18, also from MHS, is working with him at PHI Dandan.
“This program is great — it gives me an opportunity to learn and get the experience I need for my future,” Aldrich Velasco said.
At Paradise Dental Clinic, four student interns work at the front desk or as dental assistants.
Jenny Lin, 18, of MHS, is one of them. “I joined the internship program because I want to gain more experience that can help me build more self-confidence,” she said. “Now I know how it goes. I feel really confident about this job now.
Fei Fei Lei, 18, also of MHS, works with Lin. She said she’s happy that she “has gained a lot of experience by working as an intern.”
Another intern, Enoch Pamintuan,15, said: “It’s a pretty good job here. I wanted to work for the hospital, but I feel like it’s way better here.”
Exploring opportunities
Malina Rose Tenorio, 16, of Mount Carmel School is one of the three students working as interns at the Saipan Chamber of Commerce office.
She said she wants to explore opportunities and gain experience.
“I want to build up my résumé and really learn before I start college,” she added. The internship, she said, is “very enriching and very insightful.”
Another intern, Elialyn Castro, 16, of MHS, said: “This is a good opportunity. I never would have thought I would enjoy office work. I love making calls, and experiencing what the chamber does in reaching out to businesses and the community.”
Castro also participated in a PSS customer service training. “I realized now how important customer service is and how much customer service is involved in everyday work,” Castro said.
Great experience
Keaulei Deleon Guerrero, 16, of MHS is an intern at Pacifica Insurance Underwriters Inc.
“Honestly, it’s really been a great experience working here,” Deleon Guerrero said. “I learned a lot about health insurance, customer service and essential administrative work. This internship program is very organized. I would definitely recommend this as a great way to experience the workforce because you are able to understand certain real-life experiences that you can incorporate in your future career.”
Another intern, MHS student, Jhaylin Cruz, 16, said “the work is very competitive, but the working environment is pretty cool — very professional.”
As for his coworkers, they are “fun and they make the work environment a lot more motivating,” Cruz added.
The most
A popular dining spot, Plumeria Steakhouse has the most number of SCC-PSS interns: 13.
Incoming MHS junior Paul Sam Palis, 17, is one of them. “I am motivated to start my own journey by getting a job experience. I want to be different. I don’t want to be the lazy, easy-going person every summer,” he said.
Palis expressed his appreciation to restaurant owner and proprietor Steve Jang “for being professional in teaching us professional manners and customer service. I’ve been learning a lot from Mr. Steve.”
Jenno Aque, 16, said his experience as an intern at Plumeria Steakhouse has taught him “how to be an effective worker.”
“Mr. Steve is really pretty amazing. He shows us how a business is run in a successful way with effective workers,” Aque said. “I really like the internship because I get to experience a professional work environment.”
Plumeria Steakhouse proprietor Steve Jang poses with some of his student-interns.
Saipan Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kimberly C. Camacho with student-interns Malina Rose B. Tenorio, Xinyi “Rain” Ni and Elialyn Castro.
One of the student-interns at Pacific Insurance Underwriters Inc., Jhaylin Cruz, 16, third left, poses with company employees Jessica Sablan, Tess Gella, Dionne Camacho, Jane Madarang, and Tyler Yoshimoto.
