NMTech: Helping women achieve their dreams

Dellina Lieto is a woman with a dream. Known among her family and friends for good home-cooked meals and sweet and indulgent baked goods, Lieto knew she wanted more out of her passion for cooking and baking.

After some thinking and learning about the trades training available on the island, Lieto decided to follow her passion for the culinary arts by signing up for the Northern Marianas Technical Institute’s culinary program. That was one year ago. Today, Lieto is a successful businesswoman who takes pride in managing her own food catering business.

“I was facing the possibility of losing my job when the thought of going back to school came to my mind. …I thought it would be a great start to build on and expand my personal skill set if I took classes at NMTech and that’s what I did,” said Lieto.

Completing NMTech’s culinary program has given Lieto both personal and professional satisfaction and led to more opportunities. “I have expanded my catering business to include dishes and desserts that were not part of the menu I regularly prepared. For the most part, I’ve enjoyed experimenting with new recipes for my kids to enjoy at home,” she said.

Lieto said the certifications she earned from NMTech has boosted her confidence as a businesswoman and has given her the credibility to do business as a cook and as a baker.

“I’ve been told I’m a great baker and cook before I took NMTech’s culinary courses. After graduating and applying what I have learned in cooking classes, I have grown as a person and as a professional because of the knowledge and skills I have gained from my time at NMTech,” she said.

Lieto is one of the hundreds of women and girls who have taken advantage of the advanced trades and career and technical education offered at NMTech.

Created through CNMI Public Law 20-92, NMTech prepares students and sets them up for careers in the hospitality, construction, technical services, and automotive industries.

The school also offers Google Certificate courses for those who are looking to beef up their knowledge in IT support, project management, digital marketing and E-commerce, and data analytics.

The trade school provides scholarship opportunities that are available through several government agencies and programs.

Since the school’s opening, there have already been 50 women who have so far taken advanced trade courses, while 15 women students have taken advantage of the school’s Google Certificate Program, said Taylor DLG Ada, NMTech program coordinator.

Ada expects the school’s women student population to steadily increase as women gain access to more opportunities that enhance their personal and professional growth.

Lieto is a good example of that. She says NMTech helps women such as her find encouragement and support not just from local government agencies like the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance and the CNMI Scholarship office but also from the NMTech’s staff and administration.

“I enrolled in [NMTech] online. My instructors were great! I am grateful for their time, patience, and their guidance. As for [the NMTech] leadership, they are encouraging and very approachable people and assist in setting up internship training for the students,” said Lieto.

She is appreciative of her NMTech education and what it has done for her as a woman entrepreneur and others like her.

“Women are the caretakers of the world. It is our role to nourish, mold, and feed our communities. Just as we’ve taught our kids to reach for the stars, as women we should never stop improving ourselves. Through NMTech, I was able to improve my skills, which led me to fulfilling both my personal and career goals.”

Recognizing the potential of every student to succeed, Ada says the trades school has created an atmosphere that is encouraging and conducive to learning.

“At NMTech, we allow our students to learn and explore the trades, providing them space to grow, personally and professionally. Women who take advantage of our programs challenge the stereotype that men are the only ones who can succeed in professions that require both brains and strength.”

Ada encourages women to continue investing in themselves and their education and to allow themselves to become self-sufficient.

“There is no limit to what we as women can accomplish is a quote from former First Lady Michelle Obama that I keep to heart. Every woman should remain resilient, staying true to oneself, even when it feels like all the odds are against you. Allow yourself to grow and always celebrate your wins, big or small.”

Individuals who are interested in learning a trade or enhancing their skills at NMTech may apply and submit documentary requirements through the online portal https://portal.nmtechcnmi.org/.

NMTech’s services are open to all, and there are staff from NMTech and the CNMI Department of Labor’s Workforce Investment Agency who can provide information on financial aid. Call (670) 235-6684, email admissions@nmtechcnmi.org or visit NMTech’s website at https://www.nmtechcnmi.org/ to learn more about NMTech’s course offerings.

Taylor DLG Ada, Northern Marianas Technical Institute’s program coordinator.