HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The University of Guam is building stronger ties with Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Marianas with the aim to provide a pathway for UOG students to land internships and possibly employment with NAVFAC, the university announced in a press release.
Eugene T. Mesa, NAVFAC Marianas chief engineer; Maria Garcia, NAVFAC Marianas construction director; Jaylyn Valdez, NAVFAC Marianas human resources specialist; and Kendra O. Finklea, NAVFAC Marianas HR director, recently met with UOG leadership on campus, the university said in the release.
“The University of Guam collaborates with industry stakeholders to cultivate a skilled workforce in Guam and across Micronesia,” said UOG President Anita Borja Enriquez. “Our goal is to establish additional opportunities for our students to engage in internships that will lead to job placements with NAVFAC and its private and federal partners.”
NAVFAC Marianas supports Naval Base Guam, Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, and other Department of Defense activities in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. It provides more than 400 jobs to civilians and military in Guam and the CNMI, according to the release.
“NAVFAC wants to collaborate with the University of Guam on talent acquisition,” said Sharleen Santos-Bamba, interim senior vice president and provost for the university. UOG students and alumni have made a good impression on NAVFAC, said Santos-Bamba.
“They expressed their desire to hire UOG graduates. The UOG graduates that they have on payroll and current students in their internship programs have proven to be well-educated, excellent contributors to their organization and wonderful representatives of our institution,” Santos-Bamba added.
During the NAVFAC representatives’ recent visit to UOG, they indicated the command seeks to hire engineers, administrators, supervisors in various departments, archaeologists, communication specialists, construction managers, project managers and IT professionals, the release stated.
“UOG and NAVFAC have agreed to continue conversations and share information about the types of careers that NAVFAC has to offer, the positions that they will be announcing, and input on how to prepare our students for a variety of professions,” Santos-Bamba said.
Nestor Guades, assistant professor for civil/structural engineering; Dean Lee Yudin; and Pamela Peralta, director for contracts and grants, also joined Enriquez in welcoming the visitors from NAVFAC.
“We discussed the internship programs of NAVFAC for UOG School of Engineering students,” said Guades.
UOG and its School of Engineering are seeking Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, or ABET, accreditation that will boost the integrity of the program and the chances of of alumni in getting solid engineering jobs, according to the release.
NAVFAC Marianas acting HR director Bharti Hemlani participated in a panel during Enriquez’s recent listening session with community stakeholders. The listening session and others like it will help the university sharpen its Tulos Mo’na Strategic Plan. Tulos Mo’na is the University’s island-centric, collective effort to propel UOG forward under President Enriquez, the university stated in the release.
Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Marianas team members meet with University of Guam President Anita Borja Enriquez, center, and staff Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, at the Mangilao campus.
