Saipan Southern High School students hold the certificates they earned after completing the Trading Up: Dual Enrollment program.
SEVENTY-THREE public high school students received an internationally recognized hospitality certification after completing the Trading Up: Hospitality dual enrollment program on June 15 at a ceremony at Crowne Plaza.
The students now hold certificates accredited by the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute.
As Variety reported last week, the Trading Up: Hospitality program allows CNMI Public School System students to take hospitality classes at the Northern Marianas Technical Institute at no cost.
In total, 25 students came from Saipan Southern High School, 23 came from Marianas High School, and 25 came from Kagman High School.
Ben Babauta, NMTech marketing and outreach coordinator, said the program is an opportunity for students to earn relevant certificates, and count their experiences as a PSS co-op credit, elective credit, or career and technical education credit.
Their experience in the program was marked by a mix of in-classroom education and site visits to participating hotels: Pacific Islands Club, LaoLao Bay Golf & Resort, Aqua Resort Club, World Resort Saipan, Saipan Surfrider Resort, and Crowne Plaza Resort.
At the ceremony, Jim Arenovski, owner of Island Training Solutions and regional training partner for AHLEI, called the Trading Up: Hospitality program part of a “pipeline” to a career in the hospitality agency. He mentioned that as early as middle school, students can take part in programs under the Marianas Tourism Education Council, move on to dual enrollment with Trading Up: Hospitality, and move on to earn an associate of arts in hospitality at Northern Marianas College.
Arenovski said the AHLEI credential will help them gain jobs in the industry if they need to earn money while in college, the military, or if they simply want to enter the workforce.
“It is not new news that we need more local hospitality workers,” Arenovski said. “Most of our hospitality jobs can be sourced locally. We need to promote the hospitality industry in the schools as a viable career journey.”
“This program provides the opportunity for our youth that everybody speaks about,” Arenovski said. “We’re not talking about it, we’re delivering.”
Gov. Arnold I. Palacios was also present at the ceremony and delivered his congratulations.
“I’m looking forward to the participation of our own people [in the hospitality industry],” the governor said, mentioning that in the past month he had been off island to help “reinvigorate” the Korean and Japanese markets.
Brandon Nicolas, CNMI PSS Co-Op program coordinator, underscored that the students would be part of what makes the Marianas a memorable vacation destination.
“Our islands are considered paradise and there are so many natural wonders that attract tourists from all over the world to visit, but the interactions we have with these tourists are what matter. It is very important that we be hospitable,” Nicholas said.
In an interview with Variety, Kyle Trinidad, one of the program certificate holders, said the program has led him to pursue hospitality management as a course of study.
“This program opened up a new path for me,” Trinidad said.
