Building Skills for a Lifetime School Business Plan

The Northern Marianas Trades Institute, a private non-profit, non-government, incorporated institute, organized in April, 2008, to train local residents to become skilled trades men and women. Its goals are to provide employee training opportunities; improve employee qualifications; improve local labor pool and create job opportunities. As the non-resident labor force returns to its respective countries, a dire need arises to have our local workforce fill in the vacancies. It is expected that the first classes will begin in July, 2008. The site for the school is pending.

All students will enter an apprenticeship program lasting several years depending on the trade selected and the time required to complete the course. As each student progresses in his studies, he will be tested and graded before he moves up to the next level. The trades’ courses will be open to male and female. Upon graduation from the trades institute, the student will be fully qualified to enter the trade of his choice as a skilled tradesman and earn a high paying salary.

All students selected must be working. If they are not employed the institute will help find them a job while attending school. The job need not be in the respective trade selected though it would be wise to have one in that trade.

The institute will recruit qualified teachers to teach the various programs offered. Each instructor will possess the ability to teach and motivate his students in the particular trade. These instructors are available in the community.

During the day the student will work and in the evening will attend classes at least two nights a week. Each evening class will run for two and one/half hours for a total of five hours per week. In this manner the student learns on the job. In the evening he studies the academic portion of his trade under a professional instructor in a classroom.

The institute will also encourage students to form their own companies as independent contractors. By doing this they will be owners of their own companies able to service the community as skilled and respected tradesmen.

No prior qualifications are required such as high school diploma or age. The only requisite is a strong desire to learn a skilled trade. Students will pay a modest tuition and book fee for each segment of the training.

Initially the institute will offer only a few select core trades courses. The courses to be offered will be:
A Basic Core Curriculum. This course will help the student
understand what he is entering and the discipline required. From it
he will also be able to decide which trade he wishes to enter.

These trades will be offered initially:
A. Electrical Tradesman
B. Painting Tradesman
C. Carpentry Tradesman

As the institute grows and demand rises, the number of courses will be expanded. The institute wants to produce a few highly qualified trades people on a small scale rather than try to accommodate every trade request. It will take time to reach a large scale goal but we will strive to achieve a modicum of success on a small scale.

The institute will start with only a few applicants. We are striving for quality rather than numbers. As we improve our teaching methods and students become proficient, word of mouth will attract more students.

Funding for the institute will come from various sources. The institute will solicit various businesses and commercial firms for donations. It will write grants. Businesses will be asked to sponsor individual students who may or may not be employed in their company.

An initial budget of $100,000.00 will be required which should be adequate for the first year of operation. Most of the funds will be used to pay the salaries of instructors contracted on a part-time basis, to buy materials to be used in the classrooms, and to pay operation expenses.

The only full time employee will be an “Education Director.” This director’s role will be to direct the school activities, solicit students and manage the institute in general. The institute will have an advisory board comprised of members of the community who will direct the activities of the institute and work closely with the education director.

For more information please contact:

Anthony Pellegrino
P.O. Box 501808
Saipan, MP 96950
Telephone: 1-670-322-9221
Cell: 1-670-287-8310
Email: tonypell@saipan.com