Aust Diplomat Feakes Impressed With APTC Achievements
The Australian High Commissioner to Fiji John Feakes, was impressed by the high level of education being provided by Australia-Pacific Technical College in Suva last week.
Mr Feakes enjoyed hearing from students who were studying carpentry, tiling, mechanics and fashion design.
“Australia is pleased to support programmes that encourage development of industry in Fiji and in the Pacific more broadly,” Mr Feakes said.
He visited a number of APTC training facilities around Suva.
In Fiji, APTC operates in partnership with Fiji National University, University of the South Pacific, Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, Fiji Higher Education Commission and Sangam College of Nursing and Health Care Education. APTC reached 10 years of delivering internationally recognised technical training in the Pacific in 2017.
To date, more than 12,300 Pacific Islanders have graduated with an internationally-recognised Australian Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) qualification. More than 90 per cent of graduates are now employed.
More than 560 students from across the Pacific region are currently undertaking studies at APTC campuses in Fiji, PNG, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
APTC has made a significant contribution towards a skilled and competitive Pacific workforce.
To remain relevant and current, APTC has formed many partnerships with Government ministries, Government institutions and the private sector across the region.
APTC was established in 2008 with currently 111 staff, 31 programs, 1361 female and 2029 male graduates and 22 disabled students. The longest running programs for APTC are carpentry, hospitality, painting and decorating, wall and floor tiling.