The Australia Pacific Technical College (APTC) Samoa recently welcomed more than 200 students into courses ranging from trades, hospitality/cookery, and community services.

More than half of the new students are Samoans. As part of their orientation, the students were hosted by the APTC Alumni at a traditional Ava ceremony.  

Students from Samoa, Niue, Tonga, Fiji, Marshall Islands, PNG, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Vanuatu took part in the welcome ceremony.  

The Samoa Alumni President, Masoe Iosefa Tautua, said the ava ceremony was a fitting way to welcome the new students.   “The Ava ceremony is very important,” said Masoe. “We are officially welcoming special guests to make them feel at home and accepted in the community.”  

This is a new initiative by the Samoan Alumni, and one that is greatly appreciated by students and the management of APTC.  

“The new students are special to everyone in APTC Samoa. Although we are all different I believe in unity in diversity as a common goal amongst all of us.   “I wish the International and local new students the best of luck in their studies and to live their dreams for their families and countries. “  

The students in Samoa are studying courses in trades, hospitality/ cookery, community services and health. Skills acquired at APTC are internationally recognised, and help create pathways to future careers.  

Among the students are enrolees to a new course this year - Certificate III in Allied Health.   All of the 17 students enrolled for this semester are Samoans employed by the National Health Services as supporting staff.   This is the first Health course for APTC anywhere in the Pacific.  

Alumni members are hosting many of the international students at their homes and in their churches.