From left: Head of FNU’s Bonunaqwele Nadi Campus, Mr Joseph Mauitoga, Pivot Point Fiji Institute Director, Mr Stanley Campbell, FIT College Australia Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Mark Stitt, FNU Pro Vice-Chancellor TVET, Dr Isimeli Tagicakiverata, and Director Regional and Global TVET, Mr Amrish Narayan following the MOA signing.
More opportunities are on the way for aspiring fitness professionals, trainers and wellness practitioners, with the Fiji National University (FNU) expanding its training programmes through a new partnership with FIT College Australia and Pivot Point Fiji Institute.
The partnership was formalised through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed at FNU’s Bonunaqwele Nadi Campus, bringing together the expertise of the three organisations to deliver internationally recognised qualifications and specialised wellness training in Fiji.
The agreement was signed by FNU Pro Vice-Chancellor TVET, Dr Isimeli Tagicakiverata, FIT College Australia Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Mark Stitt, and Pivot Point Fiji Institute Director, Mr Stanley Campbell.
Through FNU’s National Training and Productivity Centre (NTPC), learners will have access to the Certificate III in Fitness, Certificate IV in Fitness and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE40122), alongside a range of short courses in wellness.
The programmes are designed to prepare people for careers in fitness, training, assessment and wellness, while responding to the growing need for skilled professionals across Fiji and the Pacific.
Dr Tagicakiverata said the partnership was timely, given the increasing demand for qualified professionals in the health, tourism and community sectors.
“Across Fiji and the Pacific, demand is rising for qualified fitness professionals, trainers, assessors and wellness practitioners. Our health, tourism and community sectors need people with practical skills and recognised credentials. At the same time, many TVET professionals wish to strengthen their own teaching qualifications, so that the quality of training in our country continues to rise.”
“This is the purpose of technical and vocational education. To equip people with skills that lead directly to opportunity, and to strengthen the workforce that drives our national development,” he said.
Dr Tagicakiverata added that the partnership was also part of FNU’s efforts to take its TVET programmes beyond Fiji and create more opportunities for learners across the region.
“Through our newly established Division of Regional and Global TVET, we are looking beyond Fiji’s shores. We intend to expand programmes such as these to the wider Pacific, and partnerships like this show how international quality and local delivery can work together to build capability across our region,” he further stated.
FNU staff including Pro Vice-Chancellor TVET, Dr Isimeli Tagicakiverata joined by executives from Pivot Point Fiji Institute and FIT College Australia.
For Mr Campbell, the agreement builds on a 13-year relationship and opens an exciting new chapter in what the organisations can offer learners.
“2027 is going to be a very exciting year. We have spent a lot of time developing some very interesting courses, including three-day short courses for young people, people living with disabilities, health workers and resort wellness workers, alongside our flagship Certificate III and Certificate IV in Fitness. We will now be able to offer so much more to our learners here,” Mr Campbell said.
Mr Stitt said one of the biggest motivations behind the partnership was the opportunity to make a difference in the health and wellbeing of Fijians, particularly as the country continues to grapple with the NCD epidemic.
“I have been pushing for this for 13 years, particularly in relation to the community wellness impact we want to make here in Fiji. To see this now embraced, with the support of Dr Isimeli, Pivot Point and NTPC, is incredibly exciting.”
“I am especially excited about introducing Resort Wellness, Community Wellness, Disability Wellness and Youth Wellness. If we can teach our young people a better way of life through nutrition, movement and healthy living, they are going to be more proactive, more confident and more productive,” he said.
Under the agreement, FNU, through NTPC, will provide training facilities, industry engagement and logistical support. Pivot Point Fiji Institute will oversee student enrolments, learner support and local regulatory compliance, while FIT College Australia will contribute its curriculum, learning resources, training and assessment services, quality assurance processes and Australian qualifications.
The programmes covered under the partnership include:
Beyond the qualifications, the partnership is about giving more people the opportunity to develop practical skills, pursue new careers and take an active role in improving the health and wellbeing of their communities.
Through this collaboration, FNU is strengthening its TVET offerings while helping build a more skilled, confident and healthier workforce for Fiji and the wider Pacific.