Although it took a few years due to personal commitments, Vikatoria Maria Nakaora relentlessly pursued her dream of attaining a tertiary qualification from the Fiji National University (FNU).

Following her completion of secondary studies at Dudley High School in 1999, Nakaora began full-time work the following year to support her parents and siblings.

“This was a choice I made to care for my family. However, I also worked towards the goal of being able to pay for my university studies. My motivation was my late parents who were always encouraging me to achieve more than they could,” she shared.

“I enrolled in the Diploma in Business (Office Administration) at the then Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT), which is now known as the University’s College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies (CBHTS). I chose this qualification because I had my goal set on being Senior Administrative Officer in an organisation.”

“I believe in the phrase ‘Studying is the Key to Success’, and this was my motivation at FNU because I would always challenge myself to understand and be able to practically apply everything I had learnt during my academic journey.”

The mother-of-two said she was grateful to her late parents and supportive family for helping her overcome the hardships in order to eventually graduate, despite the period it took.

Nakaora graduated with her Diploma in August 2021 and is currently employed as a Clerical Officer, Recruitment & Selection Unit with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Meteorological Services.

She has also supported her husband at FNU, who has graduated with a Certificate IV in Fitting and Machinery and is currently employed at Pernix Fiji.

Her advice to prospective, continuing and graduate students were to listen and adhere to instructions, always ask questions and learn from your mistakes.

Students completing or have completed Year 12 or 13 have the opportunity to undergo Semester 1, 2022 studies in any TVET course at FNU through the 5,000 Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Service (TSLS) placements.

Offered through the University’s TVET Pasifika, these courses are Certificate III, Certificate IV and Diploma level qualifications. Students eligible for TSLS-funded studies must have successfully completed Year 12 with a minimum mark of 200/400 or completed Level I and II studies from the Technical College of Fiji.

Applications for Semester 1, 2022 studies at FNU are now open.

Students can visit our website on www.fnu.ac.fj to learn more about our programmes and submit an online application.