HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The Guam Community College is launching its first Furniture Installer Boot Camp, which can open the door for 20 people to start a career with M80 Systems, an office supply and furniture company.
“The boot camps that we stand up are employer-driven, so employers will have a request because they are in need of skilled employees. So we will work with the employer to develop a training program so that they have a better chance of getting qualified employees,” Denise Mendiola, GCC’s Continuing Education and Workforce Development assistant director told The Guam Daily Post.
In this case, M80 Systems is looking to hire 20 skilled furniture installers.
“Because they have more contracts, more business that’s happening right now. Now we need to train at least 20 people,” Mendiola said.
Boot camp participants will be trained in carpentry and industrial safety, in addition to employer-specific needs like installing systems.
“They are going to be learning things like systems, … if you imagine how workspaces are being designed, they’re systems. And so they are going to learn how to put systems together, but they’re also going to learn how to understand things like blueprint reading and industrial safety,” Mendiola said.
Although furniture installer may sound like an easy job, Mendiola shared it’s a lot harder than many may think.
“It’s not as simple as moving a drawer into an office. You have to know how to map things out, how to put the systems together. There’s a lot of blueprint reading,” Mendiola said.
The boot camp gives participants the opportunity to “get upskilled and then seamlessly transition into employment,” Mendiola said.
But employment is not guaranteed.
“First they have to be vetted, participate in the training program. We have to make sure that they have the minimum qualifications. Then, if they complete the program successfully, they will be offered employment with M80,” Mendiola said, adding that not all participants accept offers of employment by the boot camp’s partners.
For more information, contact GCC through email at workforce@guamcc.edu or call 671-735-5640.
To apply for this boot camp, schedule an appointment with the Guam Department of Labor’s American Job Center. Deadline to apply is April 10 at 5 p.m.
Guam Community College on Friday, March 29, 2024, in Mangilao.
