APTC is supporting young men from remote locations working in non-traditional employment areas to be successful and provide more for themselves and their communities.

Wulfstan Musuile, comes from one of the more remote islands in Vanuatu, Ureparapara, in the Banks group. Aged 29 years old and married with a 1 year old child, Wulfstan has joined APTC in Port Vila to complete the Certificate III in Children's Services. Wulfstan completed class 6 primary school and had few opportunities to seek employment in the urban areas or formal sector However, this all changed when his community approached him to teach preschool in his village. Wulfstan loves children so he agreed to assist them to give the children a good start in their early education. For the past four years he had been teaching at Leara Kindergarten on his home island.

Kindergarten Teaching is traditionally a chosen job for women however Wulfstan was encouraged by the Torba Province Preschool Coordinator to apply for the APTC Certificate III in Children Services course to improve his skills and gain a formal qualification.

With no airports on his island, the only way he could get to Port Vila in time before classes to begin was to travel on a chartered open banana boat for over two hours to get to the nearest airport in Sola, on Vanua Lava island. From there he flew to Santo before connecting to Port Vila While teaching in his village Wulfstan had undergone some basic pre-school training with their preschool coordinator so he was very excited that APTC had given him the opportunity and to continue his training.

When asked why he has chosen Pre-School teaching as a career and not some other he replied "I like to work with children. When my community asked me to teach, I willingly agreed because I knew they needed help and trust me to do that job."

He hopes to learn as much from the APTC Course so that he can return home to his island and support the children with the new knowledge and skills he acquires over the next five months.

Wulfstan was excited to come to Vila because he wanted to improve himself and also gain new knowledge. However, he was also sad because he had to leave his young family back home for 5 months, but he knew that what he will be getting at APTC will be very useful for him and his community in future.

Also attending the APTC Certificate III Children Services Course are two other young men, Hamson Varean and Malenda Karai. Hamson is from Mota Lava, also one of the islands in the Banks Group, and he also had to travel by boat (one and a half hour) to Sola to catch his flight to Vila. Like Wulfstan he also heard about the APTC course through his Pre School coordinator, who encouraged him and others to apply.

Hamson's response on the question of why preschool as a career, which is traditionally a non-male career was quick to reply, "I pity children who do not attend preschool to start them off so I want to play a part in their future direction, he said." "I took the initiative to attend preschool trainings conducted by my province but this was not enough. I wanted to learn more so I can improve myself so that I can share new things with my colleagues who did not have an opportunity to attend the course as me. I also want to take back new skills and knowledge to help the preschool children and encourage teachers in other villages in my area to form preschools. "

The third male who is attending the APTC Certificate III Children Services course is Malenda Karai. Also from a rugged and remote area inaccessible by roads, Melenda comes from Toromauri village on the South West of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu's biggest island. The only way he could reach the airport is to travel by banana boat for over 3 hours to the nearest village (Tassiriki) that is accessible by road. It takes more than 3 hours to travel Tassiriki village to Luganville town where he boards the 50 minutes flight to Port Vila. Like his colleagues from Banks Islands, this is also Malenda's first time in Port Vila.

Aged 26 and single, Malenda was fortunate to attend some other short courses run by various organisations in Santo, before deciding to take up preschool teaching. The reason he decided to do preschool is also because of his love for children and he feels he has the patience to work with them. He hopes to learn new skills to teach his community preschool children, their parents and also the community when he returns home after five months at APTC. Aged 26 and single, Malenda was fortunate to attend some other short courses run by various organisations in Santo, before deciding to take up preschool teaching. The reason he decided to do preschool is also because of his love for children and he feels he has the patience to work with them. He hopes to learn new skills to teach his community preschool children, their parents and also the community when he returns home after five months at APTC.

The class consists of twenty Ni-Vanuatu kindergarten teachers from across Torres and Banks, Sanma and Malampa provinces.

Trainer, Ms Melinda Noe, elaborated more on how the Certificate 111 in Children Services has impacted on the lives and students and their communities.

"Certificate 111 in Children Services has improved early childhood education in a variety of way's the course has assisted students who already work in the early childhood industry to confirm the importance of play as a vehicle for learning in early childhood, she saids."

"The students learn how to provide stimulating and challenging environments that enhance all aspects of children's development. The curriculum covers health and wellbeing, programing and play, communication, professional and legal aspects of caring for children."

"Students are able to take the valuable skills and knowledge they have gained back to their communities and Kindergartens and implement enriching programs for young children. In previous years, graduates with a Certificate III in Children's Services have displayed immense appreciation of the opportunity to study with APTC and a keen enthusiasm to share their new found knowledge with colleagues, families and local communities".

Tutor, Esther Sope, who was also a former student in the Certificate 111 in Children Services says, Not only do the students learn a lot from this course, but I believe that when they go back to their Islands or Kindys' they will help, encourage, role- model and train young and old of what they have learned through this APTC Course for a better tomorrow."
The three students would like to share their appreciation of APTC's assistance in offering them the scholarship to attend the course.