(L-R) Mohammed Tanweer, FNU’s PVC TVET, Dr Isimeli Tagicakiverata, Alvin Lal (Manager Apprenticeship and Trade Test),Sikeli Waqatairewa (Business Manager TVET Pasifika),

Fiji National University’s (FNU) commitment to inclusive, community-focused and globally aligned Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) was highlighted on the international stage earlier this week as Pro-Vice-Chancellor TVET, Dr Isimeli Tagicakiverata, spoke at the 2025 Vocational Skills Spotlight Conference in Queensland, Australia.

Hosted by TAFE Queensland in partnership with WorldSkills Australia, the high-level conference brought together global TVET leaders, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to exchange ideas and strengthen collaboration under the theme “Elevating Global Standards of Innovation, Excellence and Sustainability.”

Dr Tagicakiverata’s keynote presentation, “Strategies and Best Practices: Exploring Sustainability in TVET and Education,” spotlighted FNU’s efforts in reaching underserved and rural communities, as well as vulnerable groups, including the elderly and persons with disabilities.

“My presentation focused on sustainable TVET initiatives from FNU and how we deliver training to remote communities, support industry partnerships, and create inclusive learning pathways for all Fijians,” he said.

Attending alongside Dr Tagicakiverata were Alvin Lal (Manager Apprenticeship and Trade Test), Sikeli Waqatairewa (Business Manager TVET Pasifika), and Mohammed Tanweer from the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC), the 2024 FNU Best Apprentice Award winner. Their visit was part of a broader knowledge-sharing mission supported through FNU’s active Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with TAFE Queensland.

“This was a vital opportunity to benchmark FNU’s TVET standards against leading institutions like TAFE Queensland, whose Acacia Ridge campus, one of the largest and most advanced TVET trade training centres in the Pacific,” Dr Tagicakiverata noted.

FNU is set to offer simulator-based training in Crane, Forklift, Harvester, Digger, and Tractor operations by 2026

FNU’s participation in the event also fostered deeper conversations around future collaboration. FNU is keen to deliver Augmented Reality Welding training early next year, a key step in FNU’s wider modernisation agenda. Discussions also opened the possibility of FNU delivering simulator-based training in Crane, Forklift, Harvester, Digger, and Tractor operations by 2026.

TAFE Queensland will be donating five Augmented Reality Welding training machines to FNU later this year

“We already have plans to upgrade and modernise our workshops and training equipment. This visit reinforced the need for greater investment from government and industries to elevate the relevance and quality of TVET,” he said.

“FNU is widely recognised across the Pacific as the major TVET provider. Being chosen as keynote speaker was an honour and affirms the impact of our community-based TVET model, which we’ve successfully implemented over the last decade,” he said.

Looking ahead, Dr Tagicakiverata said one of the most exciting takeaways from the conference is the potential for Fiji to host its own TVET Skills Competition, a national event designed to boost training standards and encourage greater industry involvement.

“FNU is already a step ahead in the region because our model goes beyond school leavers. We’re training entire communities, an approach that’s well-suited to the Pacific. Sharing this model with international peers has been both validating and inspiring,” he added.

The University remains committed to leading innovation, access and excellence in TVET across Fiji and the Pacific.