TWENTY Tanapag Middle School students are attending a construction class at the Northern Marianas Technical Institute as part of the Public School System-Career and Technical Education’s construction program.
The students are from sixth to eighth grades and they are participating in a construction course that will run for eight months and end in June 2023.
The goal is to help the students prepare for the future, said Dr. Jessica B. Taylor, PSS-CTE program director.
She said the construction program will lead to an industry certification with the National Center for Construction Education and Research or NCCER, a not-for-profit education foundation.
NMTech Chief Executive Officer Jodina Attao expressed excitement about the program.
“We are glad that we are in partnership with the Public School System through the CTE program, and that we are able to provide the necessary training and skills support to our public school students,” Attao said during an NMTech orientation for the participating Tanapag Middle School students and their parents on Monday evening.
Excited, too
“I am very excited,” said a seventh-grade TMS student.
Another student said, “This is a cool program. I’m interested in construction.”
The classes are conducted at NMTech’s Lower Base campus on Wednesday and Friday, from 1:20 p.m. to 2:20 p.m.
NMTech instructor Luis Deleon Guerrero, who is NCCER licensed and trained, is conducting the class.
For the duration of the eight-month program, the 20 participating students will be transported from Tanapag Middle School to NMTech and back to TMS.
During Monday night’s orientation, Attao also introduced NMTech faculty and staff members to the participating students and their parents.
Besides Taylor and Attao, also in attendance at the formal opening of the program were acting Commissioner of Education Eric Magofna, CNMI Department of Labor-Director for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Frances Torres, Tanapag Middle School advisers and other stakeholders.
“They just loved it — our students are very excited,” Taylor said.
It was in the summer of 2021 when PSS-CTE implemented several summer schools program. The construction program is the latest addition to the nursing assistant, teacher academy and entrepreneurship, among other programs.
NMTech instructor Luis Deleon Guerrero conducts an elective construction class for 20 Tanapag Middle School students.
From left, Public School System-Career and Technical Education Program Director Dr. Jessica Taylor, CNMI Department of Labor-Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Director Frances Torres, Tanapag Middle School CTE instructor Acelia Dela Cruz and acting Commissioner of Education Eric Magofna.
Tanapag Middle School students on the first day of their construction class at NMTech.
PSS-CTE Program Director Dr. Jessica Taylor, standing left, welcomes the Tanapag Middle School students and their parents during an orientation on Monday evening.
NMTech’s culinary instructor Ben Babauta Jr. introduces NMTech’s team to the Tanapag Middle School students and parents.
NMTech instructor Luis Deleon Guerrero provides Tanapag Middle School students a snapshot of the construction class.
Tanapag Middle School students tour the facilities of NMTech, including the culinary program’s professional kitchen/classroom.
NMTech automotive technology instructor Dante Yumul introduces Tanapag Middle School students and parents to his class.
