Education and Training Policy Needed for resident workers

For some time I have been writing about the need to institute a basic literacy education program to help residents find and hold on to good jobs. The CNMI is in a great state of flux. We are inundated with nonresident workers. Our unemployment rate is estimated to be about 14%. Recently a local newspaper reported that we have over 2,000 unemployed people in the CNMI and increasing.

Several reasons given for this high rate of unemployment are that wages are too low and employers are willing to hire only non-resident workers over resident workers. Also resident workers are criticized as not willing to work hard and faithfully. To a certain degree this is true, but this does not speak for the majority of residents who work hard and do a fine job.

I feel that the main reason for such a high unemployment rate is that the quality of resident workers is quite low, not because of laziness, but because of low-self esteem in that they are unable to read and follow instructions for lack of education.

As an employer of about l 20 employees, whom many are resident workers, I don’t agree with those excuses. I find almost all of my employees hardworking and loyal. When I seek a new employee I welcome the hiring of resident workers. However a major problem arises in doing so. Too many of them cannot read, write, speak or do simple math on a high enough literate level to be hired. The company needs employees with at least a sixth or higher-grade level competency.

I have discussed this sad state of affairs with the Secretary of Labor and other officials. They all agree we must institute a work compensatory program in which employees with low literacy are assisted. Education and training polices for “human investment” must be formulated immediately. This is good strategic planning.
Investors need and require skilled and literate labor. To learn a skill is easier when the employee is literate. The on-the-job training progresses smoothly and quickly.

Not only will the residents assisted in an education and training policy become employable, but the community benefits as well. Helping people to help themselves has always been seen as reinforcing of autonomy, work, family, and community.

If the government is truly solicitous in assisting these handicapped residents to find decent employment, here is one possible solution. Modify the present .JTPA program which seeks jobs for “economically handicapped residents” to “literacy handicapped residents.” Insist that these residents attend mandatory courses at a “life skills’, training academy as described previously in another article. The program is a form of compensatory work/study. Attendees study basic literacy and work skills as they either look for employment or are employed. Each successful candidate will receive a diploma showing his newly acquired competency.

The truth is that most of the applicants in the JTPA program are not capable of doing decent work in a company. This is repeatedly proven when after given an opportunity to work, most of them fail. We are overlooking the cause of their actions and instead blame outside forces.

The above is an appeal to our social expectations of what do we expect of ourselves and of the life we want and that of our fellow citizens. If we don’t assist them now, we stand to pay a heavy penalty in social welfare and in higher crime rates. We must find means and ways for these handicapped people to help themselves. To assist our less fortunate members is both sound moral and economic sense. Our greatest assets are well-educated and skilled workers!