Thirty-seven-year-old Sandhia Jyotika Sharma is focused on becoming an entrepreneur after completing the baking and patisserie course that she is currently pursuing at the Fiji National University’s (FNU) National Training and Productivity Centre (NTPC).

Sharma believes her life experience and the hands-on training at NTPC puts her on a solid platform to attain her personal goal.

“I believe that if you have a strong drive to achieve, age should not be a barrier to achieving your life objectives,” said Sharma.

“My husband is a mechanic, and after completing this course, I intend to realise my family’s dream of opening a business,” she added.

Sharma’s interest in baking prompted her to undertake formal training at FNU.

“I’ve always had an interest in baking, and then we decided to establish a business. Therefore, I opted to enrol to learn new skills and get a qualification that would assist me in becoming an entrepreneur.”

“My family has been extremely supportive of my schooling, and we are working as a team to achieve our goals, whether it is my academics or assisting one another at home.”

Sharma is originally from Ba but currently resides in Sabeto, Nadi, with her family.

“In life, one should not stop learning or have the perspective that learning ends at a certain age. Learning is a never-ending process in which we acquire new ideas, concepts, and experiences that we may use in our work to grow further,” she said.

“The knowledge and expertise obtained from the short courses would aid you in your life since you can open a small business to support you and your family if there is a catastrophe, such as the COVID-19 outbreak that wrecked damage all over the globe,” she stated.

“Individuals who study at the NTPC get real-world experience. The services and knowledge they receive from the trainer’s heads help them have a stable future.”

Students interested in the short courses can contact info.ntpc@fnu.ac.fj or call on 2417779.