Staff from FNU and APTC discussed ways to strengthen TVET education in Fiji.

To strengthen the quality and relevance of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) in Fiji, the Fiji National University (FNU) recently held a curriculum mapping workshop with the Australian Pacific Training Coalition (APTC), which is the largest supporter of the TVET education in the Pacific.

FNU Pro Vice-Chancellor Learning and Teaching Professor James Pounder said as a dual-sector University, FNU shares a common goal as APTC to upskill the local and regional TVET trainers.

The two-day workshop was aimed to design and develop TVET programmes between the two institutions, which can be merged and discuss ways to sustain the combined programmes.

“It was an exciting opportunity to integrate the programmes to be able to deliver advanced level teaching skills at the TVET level,” stated Professor Pounder.

The positive strategic partnership between FNU and APTC enabled APTC’s Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE) to be successfully mapped to the FNU Higher Education Teachers Certificate in Technical and Vocational Education and Training.

APTC’s Country Director Fiji and Tuvalu, Jovesa Saladoka said both institutions are geared towards strengthening local TVET system by ensuring that they can be able to deliver quality

(Sitting L-R) FNU Pro Vice-Chancellor Learning and Teaching Professor James Pounder, APTC’s Country Director Fiji and Tuvalu, Jovesa Saladoka and FNU College of Humanities and Education Dean Professor Unaisi Nabobo-baba with representatives from FNU and APTC.

and internationally recognised TVET education.

“TVET has always been an option number two.  It was never something that was considered as a legitimate career pathway.  Therefore we have to challenge the negative TVET perception that we have in the country and in the Pacific,” mentioned Saladoka.

Referring to the latest Fiji Bureau of Statistics report, Saladoka emphasised that close to 80 per cent people in Fiji who are earning an income, have TVET related jobs.

“This yet again shows the importance of Technical and Vocational education, which not only provides job opportunities but creates jobs as well,” he mentioned.

“We are committed to ensuring that the local TVET system gets strengthened and we will transition most of the programmes to local technical and vocational training,” added Saladoka.