As a young lad, Shalvin Chand had very little interest in being behind a desk all day long.  Though he couldn’t avoid that in school, he always thought of pursuing a career that would allow him to be more hands-on rather than completing large amounts of paperwork. “I did not like to write and always hoped that I wouldn’t have to do a lot of paperwork. I liked to do things with my hands, be more practical,” he said. Although he knew what kind of work he wanted to do, he sti...Read More

Not everyone can say they have worked on repairing and maintaining underground heavy earth moving equipment in Fiji’s gold mine.  For Sikeli Lagilagi it was his first job and one which set the tone for his career path.  After completing Form Six, Lagilagi applied to be an Apprentice in Heavy Mobile Plant Mechanic at the Vatukoula Gold Mine, formerly known as the Emperor Gold Mine in Tavua upon the advice of his Uncle. This allowed him to attain a qualification while receiving the much...Read More

Being a full time student while working full-time is no easy feat. However, with perseverance and determination all is possible. Nafitalai Vuli is an example of what a person can achieve despite difficulties – if they set their mind firmly on their goal.  As a young boy, he was always fascinated with computers. Seeing him clicking away on his father’s computer was a common sight.  Vuli would spend a considerable amount of time in the computer labs in school as well. This interest le...Read More

With the desire to care, serve and help, Rashnita Singh, grew up wanting to be a nurse.  Youngest of the three siblings in her family, Singh’s interest in the field was also encouraged by her elder sister who was a nurse.  “It was my passion to be a nurse ever since I was a child. I wanted to care for the sick and needy. I also admired the blue and white uniform the nurses wore,” she said. Hailing from the north in Fiji (Labasa), Singh completed her primary and secondary ed...Read More

As a teenager, Adriu Iene’s initial career plan was to work in the health sector. However, as years passed by, he developed an interest in looking after the environment and realised that he could pursue a career where both his interests can be combined.  After completing Form Six at Assemblies of God High School, Iene enrolled in the Foundation Programme at the Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT). He completed this in a year and enrolled in the Certificate of Environmental Health at the...Read More