New WIA board yet to seal MOU By MARIAN A. MARAYA

Workforce Investment Agency Executive Director Felix Nogis has prioritized the accomplishment of a memorandum of understanding between agencies involved in job employment and training programs to expedite efforts at enhancing the sector’s quality of services as mandated under the newly enacted Workforce Investment Act of 1998.

Newly-appointed members of the WIA board which consist of high-ranking officials from both the public and private sectors have yet to meet and draft a comprehensive MOU on the proposed employment services partnership eyed to improve the process of job-seeking, assessment, and skills training.

Mr. Nogis said the conception of the partnership agreement is the most critical step in the whole process of revitalizing the Commonwealth’s employment services.

Northern Marianas College Adult Basic Education Director Fe Y. Calixterio, a member of the WIA board, has expressed eagerness to cooperate with the lead agency on the undertaking.

“Despite the absence of a physical facility such as the one-step center, I am glad that we can still develop partnerships. I am looking forward to it and very much willing to cooperate anytime because I know it is a must that we assist people who need jobs,” said Ms. Calixterio.

To streamline the employment process, WIA is planning to implement a uniform application and assessment system programmed to save time and provide convenience to clients, according to Mr. Nogis, also an appointed member of the WIA board.

“This is all in line with enhancing the services to be more effective and responsive to the needs of the people,” he added.

But client information sharing between participating agencies has raised issues on possible privacy law violations.
Mr. Nogis remains unfazed with such concerns calling the issue “irrelevant.”

“This law applies to all agencies involved. And it should never be an issue if only we are careful…,” said Mr. Nogis.

He added the board would have to essentially include client information sharing under its MOU.

“We should stipulate in the agreement to what extent we give or share our records, and agencies should not use the privacy law as a reason not to be cooperative because all of us are required by a statute to safeguard information as agencies accepting federal grants,” he said.

“Personally, I find it very frustrating that some agencies make an issue out of this. I think it’s a lot of hogwash,” he added.

Ms. Calixterio has also expressed support to develop a standard employment application system, saying it beats the tedious process of having to fill out lengthy forms.

“Application forms tend to be repetitive and there must be some common information that we don’t need to ask again because a client who goes from one office to another is actually going through the same kind of process several times…and it’s really time consuming, not to mention disturbing,” he said Ms. Calixterio.

She added that the college is very ready and open to possibilities with regard to network sharing and an inter-agency exchange of information.