Fifty-six Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) students including two Fijian nationals became the newest graduates after receiving Australian qualifications during the graduation ceremony in Apia, Samoa on Tuesday 26 March 2019.
The graduates received certificates in 11 technical and vocational programs including fashion design, commercial cookery, education support, electrotechnology, fabrication trade, hospitality, mechanical engineering, plumbing, training and assessment, and awards in the Key Management Skill Set and International Skills Training (IST).
As Australia’s flagship technical and vocational education and training (TVET) program, APTC has helped over 1600 Samoans gain Australian skills and qualifications in a wide range of vocational careers, since its inception in 2007.
While delivering the keynote address, the Honourable Prime Minister of Samoa, Tuilaepa Aiono Dr Sailele Malielegaoi, commended the graduates for their achievement.
“Education remains a priority for Samoa and on graduating today, you are in a position to put your internationally recognised qualifications into practice not only in the Samoan workforce but abroad as well. Decent employment for graduates means greater economic opportunities and improved livelihoods for the benefit and progress of Samoa and the region,” he told graduates.
The graduation also recognised the first awardee of the Key Management Skill Set, which is specially designed for newly promoted supervisors and team leaders.
In delivering the closing remarks, Australian High Commission to Samoa, Her Excellency Ms Sara Moriarty, highlighted that APTC in its new stage as a Training Coalition supports countries like Samoa in their efforts to step up the skills agenda for more jobs, growth and sustainable development that leaves no one behind.
She encouraged graduates to remain engaged in the APTC Alumni network and to take every opportunity to be positive role models and contributors to their country and the region.
“Education and skills training are key priorities for Australia in the Pacific region, including Samoa. This is why Australia established the APTC with Pacific Island leaders in 2007,” Ms Moriarty said.
“Partnerships such as these cement Samoa and Australia’s enduring and cooperative relationship that extends across political, security, economic and people-to-people links.”
Now in its third stage, APTC will continue delivering high quality, internationally recognised training to improve graduates' employment outcomes, support greater investment in skills training, and promote higher quality TVET delivery across the Pacific.
APTC delivers training to citizens of 14 Pacific island countries from its campuses in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
The new graduates have joined a network of 13,000 Pacific Island women and men that make up the APTC Alumni.