“The Untapped Potential of the Marianas and Micronesian Workforce”
Marriott Hotel, October 20, 2010
The Department of Defense and the communities of Micronesia have embarked upon a $20 Billion development program to transform the Marianas into the hub of U.S. defense forces in Asia. On September 21 st the Record of Decision was signed triggering approximately $1.75 Billion in construction activity. With that decision, the military buildup will enter a new phase, one that will dramatically impact the labor force of the region.
The Center for Micronesian Empowerment (CME) is dedicated to training and placing local workers into full time paying jobs made possible because of the military buildup. By the end of this year, CME, a private non-profit workforce development company, will have successfully placed 200 underserved residents from throughout Micronesia and Guam into full time employment. Its mission is to improve the quality and quantity of workers from the region to insure that the positive economic development effects of the military build-up are realized for the residents of all of Micronesia.
That is why CME has linked with Hita I Marianas, the organization that conducted the conference in San Diego that brought information about the buildup to companies across America. Hita I Marianas was developed to make sure through local partnerships and outreach efforts residents and former residents of the Marianas will fully participate in the buildup. Hita I Marianas and CME have joined to bring that message home and to provide an opportunity to have an open dialogue among the leaders of the regions private and public sectors about how regional workforce development can be realized.
Will the regional workforce be ready to meet the employment requirements of military contractors and civilian employers over the next ten years? Will the qualifications and skill levels match private demand for workers? What can private employers do to help minimize the need to import H2b laborers? What is the US Federal government doing to help ensure that the employment of the regional workforce is maximized? What are the governments of the Marianas and Micronesia doing to prepare their workers for the buildup?
These are the issues that will be discussed at the Center for Micronesian Empowerment/Hita I Marianas conference scheduled for October 20th at the Marriott Hotel entitled: “The Untapped Potential of the Marianas and Micronesian Workforce.” The one day conference will assemble private employers along with military and public policy makers to address these critically important issues, ones that will shape the economic development future of the region.
The Honorable Anthony Babauta, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Areas, U.S Department of Interior will address the 300 business and government leaders expected at the event. In addition, key Navy and Naval Facilities Command (NAVFAC) representatives have been invited to present along with business and government leaders of the region to provide information critical to planning for the changes in the workforce created by the military buildup.
If your company is interested in learning how best to prepare for the coming changes in the labor force, sign up today. The conference will be held at the Chamorro Ballroom of the Marriott Hotel on October 20th. The cost of attendance, which includes lunch, refreshments, and a cocktail mixer, is only $50. We look forward to seeing you there.
