40 graduates with Australian qualifications [1]
Wednesday, September 21, 2016 - 18:18. Updated on Thursday, September 22, 2016 - 09:59.
Forty Tongan students received their certificates in specialized technical and vocational training from the Australia-Pacific Technical College during a graduation ceremony in Nuku’alofa today, Wednesday, September 21.
Claude Tupou, the CEO for the Ministry for Education and Training, awarded the certificates with Denise O’Brien APTC CEO, at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall.
Students, who are mostly employed in the private sector or civil service, were awarded certificates in carpentry, commercial cookery, community services work, electro-technology electrician, engineering-fabrication trade, engineering mechanical trade (diesel fitting), hospitality, individual support in aged care, light vehicle mechanical technology, painting and decorating, plumbing, wall and floor tiling.
Claude said since its establishment in 2007, APTC has been in the forefront as a center for training excellence, helping men and women in the Pacific gain Australian skills and qualifications in a wide range of vocational careers.
We are indeed grateful to the Australian Government for providing the skills training and capacity building through APTC, he said.
"This support helps Pacific Islands like Tonga to develop their workforce and improve employment opportunities for their citizens both nationally and internationally. In Tonga, APTC has become a beacon of success for our people. We have over 415 proud Tongans who have graduated from the College."
Skilled workforce
Denise said their goal is to support a more prosperous Pacific driven by a skilled, competitive and productive workforce.
She said this meant through the skills and qualifications received the citizens of Tonga can make a real difference economically, socially and culturally for themselves, their families, communities and country by gaining meaningful work and furthering their career aspects.
"APTC partners with employers and industries. We are demand driven, that is we offer courses to develop real skills for real jobs so important to economic, social and cultural prosperity."
She said the demand for skills development in the Pacific region is high, so APTC looks to support the Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system. APTC would be partnering with the Tonga Institute of Science and Technology over the coming months to support them in their delivery of plumbing qualifications, she said.
APTC is a development initiative funded by the Australian Government to deliver training and increase the supply of skilled workers in specialized sectors in the Pacific region with campuses in Samoa, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.
Tonga does not have a campus so these students studied at the other Pacific campuses for an intensive six-months period.