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Ready to make a difference? Internet Work Academy scholarships available

Recent graduates of the RISE Internet Work Academy
30 scholarships to Internet Work Academy available through RISE
reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The RISE education center, a nonprofit organization — “for the youth ran by the youth” — has officially taken off since December 2020 and is currently offering 30 scholarships to its Internet Work Academy (IWA) course provided in partnership with the American Samoa Department of Commerce.

The next IWA course runs Feb. 1-26.

IWA is an opportunity for young people here in American Samoa to seek out job opportunities through the internet and get employed with companies off island.

With the world moving more and more towards hiring remote employees versus having their workers in a brick and mortar building and with this shift in the workforce, it is important for the people of American Samoa to learn how to offer products and services that will meet the current and future demands of employers. Taking part in the IWA will prepare people at any level of internet proficiency to take advantage of the many opportunities that are available to them online.

 “With the help of DOC we were able to provide 30 scholarships for these individuals to join IWA free of charge,” RISE general manager Chris Thunken said. The four week course is taught by successful Polynesian entrepreneurs on and off island. It teaches an individual how to build their personal online profile, accommodate customers and grow in this new trend of online work (how to make money through social media).

These classes are fun and full of learning experiences for people eager to learn and enrich their lives, according to Thunken.

During training the Internet Work Academy prepares people at any level of internet proficiency to take advantage of the many opportunities that are available to them online. From the looks on their faces, trainees from the last session were hoping that IWA wouldn’t come to an end. With the help of DOC, 30 scholarships to Internet Work Academy are currently being offered through RISE, a nonprofit organization. [courtesy photo]

During training IWA will introduce trainees to potential employers and share with them what it will take for them to present themselves in a way to attract some of the worlds fastest growing companies. Multiple potential employers will also be participating throughout the training, giving trainees exposure to job opportunities.

 “We are looking for 30 students right now to utilize those and invite you to apply now and don’t miss out on this beneficial experience and visit our website at risesamoa.org and get your internet building skills started,”  Chris said.

The IWA provides training on what is in high demand on the current internet landscape. Trainees will benefit from learning how to build their fluency and proficiency in everything internet based. When they graduate they will receive an IWA Certificate that will boost their resume when seeking employment post graduation.

BACKGROUND

The Internet Work Academy (IWA) was created to provide remote work training to the residents of American Samoa and other South Pacific islands. With the installation of the Hawaiiki Cable, American Samoa has become a potential hub for internet based workers providing services to companies and organizations all over the world. In order for this to become a reality it is vital that our community begin to become educated in the various fields of internet based work.

The cost of attendance for IWA is normally $300, but these costs have been covered by the 30 PAID SCHOLARSHIPS that RISE is offering to applicants.

At RISE “we value knowing that the youth is our future, so we’ve put the youth at the core of our mission. It is our mission is to provide the best developmental resources and tools to help our youth RISE above their challenges and grow into their potential.”

Volunteers are welcome and by volunteering your time to the RISE mission and cause, Rise says that you’ll not only be changing the lives of those you come in contact with but also helping to shape the future of our community,