NMTI launches first class on Rota

From left, Abraham Arriola, Northern Marianas Trades Institute instructor; Velma Palacios, NMTI board secretary/treasurer; Tanya King, Dr. Rita Inos High School principal; Brian Torres, NMTI instructor; Ross Manglona, NMTI director of continuing education; Efraim Atalig, mayor of Rota; Agnes McPhetres, NMTI CEO; and John Gonzales, NMTI board chairman. (Contributed Photo)

The Northern Marianas Trades Institute celebrated last Friday, Dec. 14, the successful launch of its first class on the island of Rota.

The “Electrical Level 1” course has been in session since Oct. 29 and has 21 students attending four nights a week for two hours a day. The class is scheduled to be completed by late May 2019 and will segue immediately into “Electrical Level 2.”

Agnes McPhetres, NMTI chief executive officer, said Friday, “This is merely the first of many classes that will be offered on island. With the high amount of interest in our first class, it is evident that students like the certificate programs we offer.”

Due to the difficulty of finding qualified instructors on Rota, NMTI is looking at the possibility of flying instructors from Saipan to Rota on short stints over the weekends, said Ross Manglona, NMTI’s director of Continuing Education.

“While we have our new instructor, Mr. Abraham Arriola, out here, we will maximize his time by offering the prerequisite ‘core’ course, allowing those students to move on to the other courses like welding, HVAC, plumbing, etc. These classes might require a lot of commitment on behalf of the students, as they may be eight-hour classes just to be cost-effective,” Manglona added.

In attendance at Friday’s ceremony was Herman Atalig, Rota’ elected member to the PSS Board of Education. Atalig was thrilled to hear the news of NMTI’s expansion efforts on Rota, saying, “We need to tear down the walls impeding student success to benefit our students. We want to prepare students for meaningful careers and a diverse educational system inclusive of trades education is what is needed to get them there.” Atalig said, “I am in full support of NMTI’s vision that I support the passage of Senate Bill 20-106 to make NMTI a public entity.”

McPhetres said, “This class was made possible through the collaborative efforts of various entities such as the Rota Mayor’s Office, Rota Legislative Delegation, [Public School System], and [Northern Marianas College]. Mayor Efraim Atalig initiated this and we just followed through, making the funding request with the delegation and using our new [memorandum of understanding] with PSS. …With NMC graciously allowing us the use of their classroom, we were able to make this pipe dream a reality.” (PR)