YACHT ASSOCIATION EXPLORING TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES IN NZ
There is more marine education programmes for Fijians through a Fiji-New Zealand people-to-people exchange programme.
This was revealed by Fiji Yachting Association executive Nigel Skeggs during the annual Fiji/New Zealand Marine day at the Port Denarau Yacht Club.
He said: “We are trying to work more with education programmes as well where we can upskill our work force.
“We are looking at apprenticeship schemes that can run out of NZ. “Hopefully, we can work on that for the next six months and would like to see a lot more training done here, which will be linked up with the Fiji Maritime Academy as well.” The event drew 15 of the top New Zealand marine companies with representatives covering a broad range of facilities and services including marine products, equipment.
“This is our third year; it’s getting more popular which is great and we have seen more business come from this event,” Mr Skeggs said.
“It is a good opportunity to tie and build relationship between NZ and Fiji.
“We don’t count ourselves as competitors but as strategic partners that are working together to get more boats in to the South Pacific; not just super yacht but we are also working towards small boats.
“We have larger boats to be based in Fiji and opportunity for our local suppliers to make links to NZ and to supplier out of NZ with different agencies.”
NZ Marine chief executive officer Peter Busfield said there were also information seminars on New Zealand as a cruising destination and an update on the 36th America’s Cup being held in Auckland, New Zealand, 2021.
“This will bring additional significance business to Fiji and it did in 2004 and in the world more super yachts then they were in 2004,” Mr Busfield said.
“We are looking at another 100 super.”
Sail South Pacific Director John Martin said: “We want to get all the boats in the Pacific to be able to spend longer times in the South West Pacific with NZ and Fiji as the hub.
“As we know no person will stay in one area for five years.
“We all need to work together and make sure that none of yachts travels out to other areas.”