Creating Skills for life
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2014 NEWS ARCHIVE

APTC graduates add to Alumni numbers in Samoa

Oct 03, 2014

On Tuesday, 30 September 2014, family and friends of 128 Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC) graduates came together to celebrate their achievements. The graduation ceremony was held at the Ekalesia Faapotopotoga Kerisiano Samoa (EFKS) Hall in Sogi. 

APTC is a development initiative funded by the Australian Government to deliver training and to increase the supply of skilled workers in targeted sectors in the Pacific region. APTC has campuses in Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

Of the 128 graduates, 127 are Samoan nationals. Manasa Nasilivata, an employee at Kooline Refrigeration is the only Fijian national to graduate at this ceremony, attended by over 500 guests who were hosted by APTC’s CEO, Ms Denise O’Brien. 

The keynote speaker at Tuesday’s graduation ceremony and a long-term supporter of APTC, was Samoa’s Honourable Prime Minister, Tiulaepa Sailele Lupesoliai Malielegaoi. 

The graduates completed one of the following 19 programs – Allied Health Assistance/Health Services, Carpentry, Children’s Services, Commercial Cookery, Disability, Electrical, Fabrication, Diesel Fitting, Fitting and Machining, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Hairdressing, Home and Community/Aged Care, Hospitality, Automotive, Patisserie, Tourism, Hospitality Supervision, Youth Work and Training and Assessment. Of these 19 programs, 8 were delivered in Samoa.

Other highlights of the graduation ceremony are as follows:

  • 14 graduates of the Certificate III in Hairdressing were participants in a unique program that was delivered on a part time basis. This opportunity enabled the students to attend classes in the evenings while maintaining their regular employment. These graduates include owners of local hair salons and selected employees.
  • The recipients of the dual qualification – Certificate III Allied Health Assistance/Certificate III in Health Services Assistance are the first APTC graduates from this program. This training was made possible by the assistance of Samoa’s Ministry of Health and National Health Services, who allowed APTC to use classrooms, simulate lab facilities and provided accommodation for the duration of the program delivery.
  • Seven graduates have successfully completed the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, an Australian standard training qualification for vocational teachers. These graduates are all trainers from the National University of Samoa (NUS).

Other highlights from the APTC campus in Samoa this year, are:

  • Two Samoan tutors have progressed to become qualified national trainers under APTC’s Tutor Progression program. They are Daniella Ah Leong Leota (now an APTC Cookery trainer), and Tusivi Kalopa (now an APTC Metal Fabrication trainer).
  • APTC delivered training to the Samoa Tourism Authority through funding from New Zealand AID (NZAID), which assisted stall holders in Food Hygiene and Preparation, for the highly publicised UN Small Island Developing States (UN SIDS) Conference and this year’s Teuila festival.

APTC delivers training in Australian qualifications accredited under the Australian Qualifications Framework which is recognised locally, regionally and internationally.

APTC is an Australian Government initiative in partnership with the Pacific and Timor-Leste.

APTC is implemented by TAFE Queensland (RTO 0275)

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