Students survey career options

Northern Marianas College students from Saipan, Rota, and Tinian yesterday were presented with possible career choices, an NMC Upward Bound Program aimed at giving students an idea on career opportunities available out there.

Yesterday’s demonstration held at the campus featured CNMI Customs agents discussing the responsibilities involved in being Customs officers particularly the handling of drug detector dogs or K-9s.

Eighty youths from all three islands attended the brief presentation, curiously pondering on new ideas set forth by the Customs agents.

According to Upward Bound Program lead instructor and activities coordinator Lawrence Castro, the process of exposing the youths to such experiences will help students outline vocational alternatives for the future.

“This is an educational and cultural phase they are getting into,” said Mr. Castro.
The Upward Bound Program is a six-week summer program which caters to youths from 13 to 18 years old.

Yesterday’s K-9 handling demonstration is only one of a series of presentations to be conducted for the benefit of the students.

The program will be inviting more guest speakers from various agencies in the community, to give students a clear picture on the wide variety of job choices they have.

“We also go out on field trips to get up close accounts of different fields of expertise out there,” said Mr. Castro.

Upward Bound is a college preparatory program which earns students college credits every semester. The program was established at the college since 1983. (MM)