May  5-9 2008     Pacific Island Forum Secretariat & South Pacific Island Community Team visit

On May 5 – 9, 2008, Patricia Sachs-Cornish, Development Cooperation Adviser and John Licht, Trade Policy Officer, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat visited Guam to discuss Labor and Training partnerships between the Guam and the South Pacific Islands.  GDOL/AHRD Mgmt. team arranged for the PIF/SPC team to meet with the following organizations:

Guam Department of Labor and Agency for Human Resources Development

•    Governor Felix Camacho or Lt. Governor Mike Cruz
•    University of Guam
•    Agana Heights Mayor Paul McDonald
•    Guam Trades Academy and Guam Contractors Association
•    Guam Community College
•    Guam Workforce Investment Board (Vice-Chair Lori Okada)
•    Black Construction (one of the largest local general contractors)

May 12, 2008 – Apprenticeship Outcomes
 
BACKGROUND:  In July 2004, Governor Camacho signed the first of two Apprenticeship contracts to train Guam resident’s pursuant to Guam’s vision for Workforce Development and Training.  The partnership with the Guam Power Authority was solidified to train 14 apprentices.  On May 12, 2008, the Guam Power Authority notified GDOL/AHRD that GPA will be graduating apprentices under the program on June 5, 2008.  GDOL/ARHD will be participating in the graduation preparation and exercise.

May 13, 2008 – Guam Department of Labor/Guam Contractor’s Association Safety Conference

The Guam Contractors Association in conjunction with the Guam Deparment of Labor OSHA On-site Consultation is proud to announce the 13th Annual Islandwide Safety Conference on May 28th, 29th and 30th at the Holiday Resort Guam in Tumon.

May 15, 2008 – Meeting w/ General Bice

On May 15, 2008, the Guam Dept. of Labor officials met with General Bice from the Joint Guam Program Office.  The topics discussed:

•    Training for Local Workforce & possible public/private partnership
•    Priority to fill job vacancies
•    Alien Labor Processing requirements and areas of consideration
•    Alien Labor Monitoring of H2B Workers
•    Medical care for H2B workers (responsible party)
•    Database link to GDOL website

Those attended were:

    General Bice        JGPO
    Capt Lee        JGPO
    Lt. Col Kube        JGPO
    Maria Connelley    GDOL/AHRD
    David Dell’Isola    GDOL/AHRD
    Vera Topasna    GDOL/AHRD
 
May 15, 2008 – Labor Roundtable Meeting – Fiji

On May 15, 2008, Ms. Patricia Sachs-Cornish, Development Cooperation Adviser, transmitted a letter of invite to the Director of Labor to attend a roundtable meeting to be held on 12 – 13 June 2008, in Nadi Fiji Islands.  The purpose of the roundtable meeting is to enable discussions between government departments of labor, relevant employers, representatives of the Private sector (Employers, Recruitment Agencies), and education and training providers on labor market issues, challenges and opportunities for Temporary Labor Migration Schemes and issues relating to meeting labor shortages in various markets particularly that of  Australia, Guam and  New Zealand.