Six recipients received notices of award at Commerce on Capital Hill for a combined total of $586,000. The recipients are expected to expand and enhance “on-the-job training” and “job-readiness” to train United States eligible workers (U.S. citizens, FAS citizens, and green card holders) as required by the federalization law or U.S.P.L. 110-229).
Acting Commerce Secretary Igisomar congratulated the recipients on behalf of the governor and lt. governor. He further acknowledged Assistant Interior Secretary Tony Babauta for his foresight and continuous support to the commonwealth.
Commerce received a $1 Million dollar award from the US Department of Interior last July and of that amount, $300,000 had been encumbered to hire an economist and $700,000 was set aside for the Labor Enhancement Program or the “Quick Employee Development Program”: the QED. The program was divided into three enhancement programs: Tourism/Hospitality, Labor, and Agriculture and Aquaculture, with available budget amounts of $50,000, $450,000, and $150,000, respectively.
“Although the award announcement date is a bit later than what we initially projected, I am grateful that we can now start to implement the long awaited training plans that the applicants envisioned through their submissions as well as provide support to the businesses and employee prospects alike,” stated Angel Demapan, the administration’s special assistant for communication and protocol.
Sub-Grantees under the Economic and Labor Enhancement Program General Technical Assistance include:
Agriculture and Aquaculture Enhancement Program
CNMI Aquaculture Producers Association – $90,000
Saipan Sabalu Farmers Market Inc. – $46,000
Economic Labor Enhancement Program
Marianas Resource Conservation and Development Council – $145,000
Northern Marianas Trade Institute – $143,000
Society for Human Resources Management – $102,000
The Bridge Project – $60,000
