HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — On Monday, a bill introduced by Sen. Amanda Shelton that incentivizes apprenticeship training in high-demand career fields enjoyed broad support from local employers and the Guam Department of Labor during a public hearing at the Guam Congress Building in Hagåtña, the senator’s office said in a press release.
Bill 120-37 would extend the Guam Registered Apprenticeship Program, or GRAP, through 2029 and incentivizes the recruitment, training and retention of skilled workers in high-demand job fields by providing eligible businesses with gross receipt tax incentives, Shelton’s office said in the release.
Many high-demand jobs are matched with graduates of various certificate and degree programs at Guam Community College. The issue came up a few months ago during a legislative hearing for GCC’s fiscal year 2024 budget request, according to the release.
“GRAP is good for workers, good for industry and good for Guam,” said Shelton. “It is an effective means by which to keep jobs and people from leaving the island.”
The program began after the island lost many skilled federal civilian ship repair workers in the 1990s, according to the release.
“Today, training is available in diversified 21st-century technology-driven industries, including renewable energy, telecommunications and logistics, that were in their infancy when Guam was losing ship repair jobs.”
“Small businesses like Guam Shipyard must execute robust workforce development programs to meet workload demands amidst continually rising costs to train the workforce. Through the continued administration of incentive programs such as the Guam Registered Apprenticeship Program, businesses like Guam Shipyard can feasibly and effectively execute training programs,” said Selina Ashland, apprenticeship program administrator for the Guam Shipyard.
Daniel Tydingco, GTA TeleGuam vice president, said GTA has benefited from the program as well. “Since the program started, we have had 238 enroll and participate. These GTA employees, both legacy employees as well as young, high-potential employees, received related training instruction from the Guam Community College with an instruction term length of two to four years. Additionally, they had between 2,000 to 8,000 hours of on-the-job training, based on their chosen occupations,” he said.
“I want to thank my colleagues for joining me in sponsoring the GRAP extension. It is an example of how what was once an innovative program for dealing with the loss of skilled jobs has become a crucial part of the economic toolkit that we rely on to promote the development of new skills to fill new jobs,” said Shelton.
Girls from various public middle and high schools learn how to operate construction tools at the GCA Trades Academy Training Facility in Barrigada. Post file photo
Amanda Shelton
