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Kiribati hospitality students celebrate success in Tarawa

The APTC School of Tourism and Hospitality celebrated another milestone in Kiribati with a graduation celebration at the Otintaai Hotel in Tarawa that included the first I-Kiribati graduate in the Certificate IV in Hospitality Supervision. A number of guests attended the evening to share in the students’ joy including the Honourable Ioteba Redfern, Minister for Labour and Human Resource Development, Mr Kevin Downie, Principal Kiribati Institute of Technology , the APTC Advisory Group member for Kiribati Ms Teekoa Ietaake and His Excellency Mr Brett Aldham, Australian High Commissioner to Kiribati; together friends and family and staff from the Otintaai Hotel. The school recently commenced delivery of a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment program in Betio at the Kiribati Institute of Technology and specialist trainer Mr Ian Turnball joined the graduation following the completion of the last day’s training before leaving for Melbourne the next day.
Toam Pedro, who studied hospitality supervision in Vanuatu last semester, was chosen by his fellow students to present the student address at the end of the ceremony and he spoke positively about his experience studying in Port Vila and the dedication and commitment of his APTC trainers, he wished them all the very best for the future. At the evening’s ceremony were three students who completed the Certificate III in Hospitality (Operations) program at the Rakiraki Hotel in Fiji. The program is delivered in a residential setting where students live, work and study in a fully operational hotel for the 20 weeks of their course. Ashley Nugent, APTC hospitality trainer from Rakiraki, was able to join the students on the night and share in their evident joy at completing the course and starting a new career in the hospitality and tourism industry in Kiribati.
Representatives from the APTC School of Tourism and Hospitality took advantage of the time spent in Tarawa to complete another round of skills assessment and interviewing in preparation for programs in 2010 and to meet with representatives at the Kiribati Institute of Technology and the Maritime Training Centre to discuss potential opportunities for working together to assist the development of technical and vocational education in Kiribati. All in all it was a very successful trip and the school looks forward to receiving more students from Kiribati next year and beyond. Our thanks to Eileen Autikino, APTC Coordinator Kiribati and Jim Irwin, APTC Fiji Manager for STH, who worked together in the pre-planning and coordination of the event.

Toam Pedro delivering the student address at the graduation

Kiribati graduates celebrating at the graduation

Ashley Nugent (L), APTC Hospitality trainer and Eileen Autikino (R),
APTC Coordinator Kiribati, preparing for the graduation ceremony
at the Otintaai Hotel.