Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 39, Number 10, 1 ʻOkakopa 2022 — Keep da Locals, Local [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Keep da Locals, Local

J THE VOICE OF NATIVE ^ > HAWAIIAN BUSINESS '

PURPLE MAI'A

By Naomi Yoshida, NHCC Marketing Director Ibet you or someone close to you have thought about moving away. And we can't hlame you, as our loeal salaries cannot keep up with the high cost of living. But... what if you ean stay in Hawai'i and still earn a high salary?

Can. The Hiapo Program is our workforce development program designed to give Kānaka Maoli and kama'āina an opportunity to get re-trained and certified with tech skills that are in high demand. You'll learn Salesforce, a cloudbased CRM software that many global and loeal companies are using. And the best part, you won't need any previous experience or a college degree to learn Salesforce. The next cohort starts in January 2023.

The program consists of three parts, kicking off with a three-week introductory course that is open to anyone and provides an overview of what Salesforce is and some of its functionality. Following the intro course is the mea nui - a 12-week immersive training program where students take a deeper dive into the Salesforce platform and continue to develop their skill sets. After 12 weeks of haumāna straight grinding, the cohort commences with a hō'ike to ho'omaika'i their work. Graduates now have the opportunity to work in our Olonā Apprentice Shop, where they ean work on real elient projects under the mentorship of senior Salesforce Administrators and Developers. Why Learn Salesforce? Get ehoke jobs. Salesforce and its ecosystem of partners will create 9.3 million new jobs and $1.6 trillion in new business revenues worldwide by 2026. In fact, many Hawai'i companies have adopted Salesforce as part of their digital transformation. 5 outcomes you ean get from the Hiapo program: • Knowledge and skills to pass the Salesforce Administrator Certification Exam • Develop problem solving and critieal thinking skills • Gain real world experience in our apprenticeship program • Become more marketable in the job market • Build an extensive network with employers and community partners "We have a vision of Native Hawaiian excellence in contemporary digital technologies. Skills like Salesforce are in high demand. Training and certification ean translate into a career that supports a family, regardless of a person's educational background or experience," said Purple Mai'a COO Kelsey Amos. Chance 'Em! ■ For more information and to apply, visit purplemaia.org/hiapo or contact us at kokua@purplemaia.org.

1 ■ cfl r Naomi Yoshida. - Photo: Courtesy