THE CNMI Department of Labor-Workforce Investment Agency on Tuesday briefed the officers and members of Rotary Club of Saipan about the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act programs.
Enacted on July 22, 2014, the federal law, which supersedes the Workforce Investment Act, is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market, and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy.
WIA Director Frances Torres said WIOA programs are for adults, dislocated workers and youths in school who are 14 to 21 years old, and those out of school who are 16 to 24 years old.
She said these programs provide education and training in partnership with Northern Marianas College and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.
The programs’ business-led board of directors aims to integrate a workforce development system that meets the needs of employers, jobseekers, dislocated workers and youths in order to supply businesses with quality employees, Torres said.
Some of WIA’s services include job search and placement assistance as well as training programs that lead to certifications, career planning, workforce preparation and more, she added.
“All of our services are individualized to each individual as well as businesses,” Torres said.
In addition, she said WIA responds to workers whose employment was affected by disaster like a typhoon. There are grants that provide temporary employment opportunities to individuals whose employment is affected by disaster, she added.
At present, Torres said they have a Covid-19 grant which helps provide employment.
The newest addition to the division is the Apprenticeship State Expansion which provides opportunities for workers to advance to a career pathway, Torres said.
This program, she added, is tailored to meet the needs of businesses by training employees or getting them certified so they can move on to higher positions.
Department of Labor-Workforce Investment Agency Director Frances Torres talks about workforce programs during the Rotary Club of Saipan meeting at Hyatt Regency Saipan’s Giovanni’s Restaurant on Tuesday.
