TO PRODUCE MORE TRADE PROFESSIONALS Leaders should raise pay scale By MARIAN A. MARAYA

Vocational education students enrolled at the Northern Marianas College will continue to drop unless there are assurances that trade skill graduates will be well compensated for their services.

This statement was disclosed by Adult Basic Education Fe Y. Calixterio yesterday, fresh from a national conference attended by mainland-based vocational education directors.

Unless local leaders make a move to raise the pay scale of professionals trained for trade skills, a career in the vocational field will not attract students at all, according Fe Y. Calixterio, director of Adult Basic Education.

“Many people will disagree with me but I still believe that until we approve an agreement to increase pay scale that actually gives a living wage for people who are trained in the vocational field, students will take no interest,” she said.

The ABE director sees a need for educators and local leaders to crank up resources in order to revitalize vocational education not only at the college but also at the high school.

“With the recent formation of a task force between PSS and the college, I am glad that actions are being initiated to address the issue,” she said.

Education leaders have initiated steps to organize a special task force which will take the lead in preparing students acquire necessary skills that will land them competitive jobs in the future.

Members of the Legislature, Board of Education, Board of Regents, NMC, PSS, and the private sector previously agreed to institute a group that will revive and improve vocational and occupational programs in schools.

The task force’s main agenda is to improve the teaching, nursing, and trade skills among students by bringing back the quality of school programs being offered at NMC, Marianas High School, and other schools.

To revive NMC’s vocational programs, Ms. Calixterio has proposed that the curriculum be strengthened and make it more attractive for the youth.

“We have to give them a compelling reason to take it up. We have to show them that there’s a pot of gold at the end of tunnel somehow,” she said.

NMC offers courses on construction trade that involves carpentry, masonry, and electricity.

Ms. Calixterio pointed out the evident demand for local residents to acquire vocational skills, citing the vast market of opportunity for trained tradesmen to take up their own businesses.

“A graduate of mechanics can even put up his own auto shop and could make a good living out of the business,” she cited.