THE Commonwealth on Monday joined the rest of the nation in celebrating National Apprenticeship Week from Nov. 15 to 21 to raise awareness about the vital role that registered apprenticeships play in providing career opportunities to community members.
Present for the signing of the proclamation in the Northern Marianas College Board of Regents conference room were Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, acting Education Commissioner Eric M. Magofna, NMC President Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero, NMC Vice President For Administration and Advancement Frankie Eliptico, NMC Board of Regents Chairman Charles V. Cepeda, Regent Irene Torres, Northern Marianas Trades Institute board member Catherine Attao-Toves, NMTI interim chief executive officer Jodina Attao, Department of Labor Secretary Vicky Benavente, Public School System-Career and Technical Education program director Dr. Jessica Taylor, Pacific Biomedical Services president Stan Benavente, as well as a number of other stakeholders who joined either in person or online.
“I don’t recall ever [having] many of our stakeholders in one building,” the governor said. “I know that we’ve said it before, that we’d work together, but seriously, I think this morning is a monumental time for us, not just signing this [proclamation], but to [look] over what we need to do.”
According to the proclamation, “the advancement and well-being of the [CNMI] depends upon its ability to expand opportunities for its workforce that are inclusive of individuals who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality in their chosen fields.”
“National Apprenticeship Week is a nationwide celebration that brings together business leaders, career seekers, labor, apprentices, educational institutions, and critical community partners to support registered apprenticeships,” the governor said.
He added, “As a Commonwealth, we fully understand the challenges of addressing our unique workforce needs to rebuild our economy and create new opportunities for our people to prosper.”
The governor commended the collaboration among NMC, NMTI, PSS, and CNMI DOL for “leading in this important work of building a highly skilled workforce to meet the needs of our community.”
“As we prepare for the end of the [CNMI-Only Worker, or] CW, transition period in 2029, workforce development is everyone’s business, and my administration will continue to be an advocate and a partner in this collaborative effort,” Torres added.
CNMI Labor Secretary Vicky Benavente said working with educational providers through the Workforce Investment Agency has been a goal of her department for many years now.
“This is going to be, I hope, a very effective program going forward. Covid-19 has thrown our island off its track… We’re going to go back on track by helping our people connect with jobs, connect with skills, connect with good wages and just hopefully connect people to a career and not just with a job,” she added.
Acting Education Commissioner Eric Magofna, for his part, thanked all the stakeholders for their partnership.
“I think we all understand the importance of 2029 and beyond. Building the workforce in the CNMI has [been] and continues to be at the forefront of all our goals…and is what has led to this very special moment,” he said.
“I am especially pleased that we can come together to work towards a goal to ensure that we continue to develop a one-stop system that will allow current and future employers, employees and post-secondary and industry partners the ability to get on the freeway of education, jobs and training that will help them climb any ladder they desire, whether it be in education, in the workforce, or just in life,” he added.
“The National Apprenticeship Week does not just celebrate and commemorate a very important part of workforce development, it also calls for action today. So, with this, we encourage all our stakeholders to take full advantage of this program, and once again, NMC, NMTI, along with PSS — we will continue to do our part to ensure that the goal is met and that the CNMI rebuilds the local capacity needed to push our CNMI forward.”
NMTI interim CEO Jodina Attao, for her part, said, “It’s a very exciting time as we rebuild the workforce after the effects of [Covid-19]…. NMTI is very excited to be part of the efforts in providing learning opportunities to the young men and women in various crafts and trades so they can have practical training in a particular skill.”
“With apprenticeship training, we’ll be able to create flexible training options…. We want to improve the employers’ ability to recruit and develop a highly skilled workforce that helps their business grow in productivity and profitability, and, most importantly, increase the retention of career workers…. We want to have more long-term, career-driven people,” she added.
NMC President Dr. Galvin S. Deleon Guerrero said: “One thing that I know we’re good at here in the Commonwealth… is we’re great at coming together. Whether it be after a crisis, during a crisis, or even just for a fiesta, we know how to come together to help each other out, and that’s the beauty of the apprenticeship program, the way it’s designed is designed to only work with partnerships between the educational institutions, with our government entities, and our private employers.”
He added, “There’s a saying ‘It takes a village to raise a child’… Well, it’s going to take the Commonwealth to prepare a meaningful workforce as 2029 approaches…. The proclamation is words… Governor, the words you said provide the direction, but it’s up to us, the partners, to take those words and put them into action.”
NMC Board of Regents Chairman Charles Cepeda said, “This is what we need in the community…. I’ve been in the business sector and we’ve been relying on contract workers all these years. The deadline that’s coming for all of us shows the need for apprenticeship programs, so thank you for working together. That’s the only way that we can get things done. We need to work together to make this happen, to train the workforce to the level and the needs that we in the business community are looking for.”
NMTI board member Catherine Attao-Toves said Public Law 20-92, which established the institute as a government entity, placed great emphasis on workforce development.
“When you read the public law, there’s so much pressure on the need for us to really do this workforce development program. Knowing that the deadline is 2029… we don’t have an option to fail,” she said.
“The thing that stood out the most in that public law was the need to build partnerships…. It was a blessing to hear that PSS already [has] things in place.
“I’m just truly excited because I think that when we first began, it was like… NMTI was a part of this vision but just a small piece of that puzzle, but it’s so nice to see that we finally have all the pieces in the puzzle for us to be able to make 2029 a reality. Thank you to everybody who’s been a part of this, for all you guys’ hard work and efforts, and really coming together… I think our community is definitely up for success,” Attao-Toves said.
The governor recommended that the process begin early, potentially with seventh graders.
“Skills, workforce, [and] this apprenticeship really [are] needed in the CNMI, so I really urge for [all of your] cooperation and partnership… You have the right leadership and this is the right time,” he said.
The governor said stakeholders will come together again within three months’ time to prepare a status report.
To further strengthen their partnership as institutions of higher learning in the CNMI, NMC and NMTI will sign a memorandum of agreement relating to the apprenticeship program at 10 a.m. this Friday, Nov. 19 at NMTI in Lower Base.
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres signs a proclamation Monday designating Nov. 15-19 as National Apprenticeship Week in the CNMI. Looking on are Northern Marianas College President Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero, NMC Board Chairman Charles Cepeda, NMC Regent Irene Torres, acting Education Commissioner Eric Magofna, Northern Marianas Technical Institute Interim CEO Jodina Attao and NMTI board member Catherine Attao-Toves. Not in photo: CNMI Department of Labor Secretary Vicky I. Benavente who attended the ceremony virtually. NMC, along with its partners is working to build a registered apprenticeship program, one that will diversify and build the talent of the islands’ local workforce.
