THE Northern Marianas Technical Institute and Public School System on Monday introduced 60 students to various career choices in the CNMI.
The students are from Tanapag Middle School, Kagman High School, Saipan Southern High School, Chacha Oceanview Middle School, Da’ok Academy and the PSS Career and Technical Education’s woodworking and culinary arts classes.
On Monday, they participated in the Career and Technical Education & Me event in celebration of CTE Month in the main hall of NMTech in Lower Base from noon to 3:30 p.m.
The theme of the event was “Celebrate Today, Own Tomorrow.”
The students listened to the words of encouragement from U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, acting CNMI Labor Secretary Leila Staffler, Education Commissioner Alfred B. Ada and NMTech Chief Executive Officer Jodina Attao.
Then, the students broke into separate groups based on the CTE classes they are attending.
Chef Zenn Tomokane discussed the culinary arts with the students while Efraim Camacho talked about the construction industry.
In an interview after the event, Staffler said: “It’s really amazing to connect young students to industries,” so they can learn about a variety of careers they may not even know exist.
Ada, in his remarks, said by the end of 2029, the federal CW program for foreign workers will expire.
“So what are we going to do? … We need to start thinking how we are going to survive,” Ada said.
In the years to come, he told the students that once they graduate there will be job opportunities waiting for them. All they have to do is to grab those opportunities, he added.
In her remarks, Attao said once skilled foreign workers on CW-1 permits leave the CNMI six years from now, today’s young students will be the islands’ future.
Education Commissioner Alfred B. Ada, second right, acting Labor Secretary Leila Staffler, third right and Northern Marianas Technical Institute Chief Executive Officer Jodina Attao, left, pose for a photo with students who participated in the Career Technical Education & Me event in the NMTech hall on Monday.
