123 sugar workers pass training

Gucake tells of hope in Roles, praises support from European Union

More than 120 sugarcane industry workers graduated with qualifications in the areas of business and trades from the Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC). Held at the Novotel in Nadi the Director of Sugar, Viliame Gucake, congratulated the graduates and urged them to apply the knowledge they have gained. “Your employers will be expecting a change for the better in the way you do things, in your performance and in your attitude. More is expected of you,” he told the graduates.

“You will be leaders, you will be role models, you will be pace setters, and you will be mentors for your direct report. This is your opportunity to show them and others of what you have learned and what you are made of.

Out of the 123 graduates, 43 students passed with a Certificate III level qualifications in trade areas that includes electro-technology electrician, diesel fitting and fitting machining. The remaining 80 graduated in various business courses in Certificate IV in frontline management, Certificate IV in project management and Certificate IV in leadership and management. Also attending the ceremony was the European Union’s Deputy Head of Delegation, Corrado Pampaloni. He said the EU recognised that the sugar industry was vital to Fiji’s economy and they were proud to celebrate with the graduates. “We believe that their accomplishment is a wonderful achievement for the sugar cane industry and for Fiji, especially in terms of addressing sector specific capacity needs and improving the livelihoods of the sugar cane dependent populations,” Mr Pampaloni said. “In 2014, the EU made an agreement of delegated cooperation with the Australian Government to provide the Training Support to the Fiji Sugarcane Industry project, complementing the Accompanying Measures for Sugar Protocol (AMSP 2013) programme.” Mr Gucake also thanked the European Union delegation for providing four million euros towards the training programme.