FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 28, 2005

TRAINING GRANT & NEW YORK CITY ADVANCE TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY ON KAUAI

Honolulu, HI - The Office of Hawaiian Affairs awarded the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) a $50,000 grant to provide Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) training to Anahola area residents employed at CNHA's initiative Hawaiian Homestead Technology (HHT). Employment opportunities for CAD are growing and these new skills will allow HHT to expand the service options at the Anahola technology center. Currently, nine Anahola area residents are employed at the Anahola technology center where they are focused on converting paper manuals from equipment manufactures such as Northrop Grumman and General Electric into digital manuals.

HHT has provided the first employment opportunities within Hawaiian homesteads adding another ten positions in Waimanalo, where their main focus is conversion of paper documents such as blueprints, large format diagrams, and schematics to CAD formats.  HHT’s President, Myron Thompson exclaims that, “our hard-working staff has created assets for our clients that give them quick and reliable access to important information.”

Earlier this month, three employees and homestead residents of Anahola traveled to New York City to receive important technology training.  Beyond the training delivered by Data Conversion Laboratories, one of HHT’s mentors in document conversion software, the trip provided a first-time experience to New York City.  One staff member described, “This was my first trip to the mainland, and it was amazing to be able to visit and experience such well known places like Times Square and Broadway!”  Thompson also explained, “I am excited every day to hear the stories from our staff about the opportunities and experiences that HHT has helped them to achieve.”

HHT is an information technology firm converting documents, including text and graphics to sophisticated electronic versions for government and commercial clients.  Partnered with national software firms and more than a dozen federally recognized Indian Tribes across the country, HHT delivers on task orders generated under the Native American Document Conversion Project supported by U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) to promote technology industries in Native communities.  A social enterprise founded by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, HHT’s mission is to sustain a viable technology industry in Hawaiian homestead communities and build local economic capacities and partnerships. 

The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement is a national, member-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting community development in Native communities.  For more information, please contact CNHA via telephone at 808.521.5011 or toll-free at 800.709.2642, via e-mail at info@hawaiiancouncil.org or visit our website at http://www.hawaiiancouncil.org/.

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Media Contact:
Lilia Kapuniai, Vice President
Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement
Phone: 808.521.5011 or 800.709.2642
http://www.hawaiiancouncil.org/
http://www.hawaiianwayfund.org/
http://www.anapacific.org/
http://www.dhhlhoap.org/
http://www.hhtech.net/
http://www.nativealliance.com/