PROVIDING JOBS FOR THE LOCALS Education officials eye trade school

Due to the rising number of students who cannot pursue a four-year college degree, the Board of Education is seriously studying the possibility of establishing a vocational/trade school program where students will be taught skills to help them get jobs.

According to Esther Fleming, BOE chair, the vocational education program will include the participation of the private sector in training the students. Parents, counselors and teachers will help convince the students in exploring this field.

“We have to help each other in selling this idea to groom the kids that it is alright for them to go into this type of education,” said Fleming.

Currently, most blue collar or highly skilled jobs are held by nonresident workers since these are not very popular among the locals. Among these are welders, plumbers, carpenters, aircondition technicians or auto mechanic.

Locals who pursue this profession are assured of jobs since there is not much competition in this field. With declining revenues, the government cannot continue hiring employees amid criticisms of a bloated bureaucracy.

Ms. Fleming also noted the need to change the work ethics of many locals which has become a big issue in many companies on the island. “We need to groom the kids of the need to come to work on time, to go to work everyday,” she said.

A private company may be able to help certify the skills acquired by the students and guarantee them of a job after graduation.

Anthony Pellegrino, BOE member, said the proposal, if implemented, would have to be participated in by various members of the community since the schools cannot do it alone.

“It is a matter of teaching your children that having a blue collar job does not mean lower pay,” he said. Students who would be taking up vocational training will still be taking up reading, writing , basic English and math. But the bulk of their time will be spent in honing their skills in the shops.

Ms. Fleming said if the CNMI government officials see that the locals have started taking up blue collar jobs, then they might start thinking about the need to raise the minimum wage.

“We just see a lot of students who are unemployed after high school. These kids just need to find jobs so we have to give them the skills,” she added.

During a board meeting yesterday, the proposal to put in place the Trade School-Industrial Education program was brought up to help prepare students for vocational and technical fields.

The program is envisioned to give students the opportunity to choose a wide range of trade occupation or even help them set up their own businesses. A certificate will be issued by the Public School System in collaboration with the Northern Marianas College to prove that students have acquired certain skills.