Over 80 students from the Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC) graduated at a ceremony held at the APTC Vanuatu Campus in Port Vila on 13 April with qualifications in 12 different programs. 

Since its establishment, over 1500 ni-Vanuatu, of which half are women, have graduated from the APTC.

APTC is an innovative development project funded by the Australian Government, delivering Australian-standard skills and qualifications for a wide range of vocational careers for skilled workers across the Pacific. 

Speaking at the ceremony, Australia’s High Commissioner to Vanuatu, Jeremy Bruer said, “It’s great to see all of you, men and women from all walks of life, graduating with internationally recognised Australian trade qualifications”.

“I’m very pleased that Australia is supporting the APTC to deliver these courses in the region.”

The graduation was attended by government and industry representatives as well as the graduates’ friends and family. 

The keynote address was delivered by the TVET Vanuatu Program’s Team Leader, Fremden Yanhambath. 

He said that it was an exciting moment for everyone and graduates are now ready to go back to their work places and make a difference with the new sets of skills and knowledge gained in their studies. 

“It is important that you focus on your goals and not be distracted with the past. Work on your circle of influence and influence the people who will help you to make the change you want to see. Most importantly, is to be the change you want to see,” he added.

The graduates, who come from all six provinces of Vanuatu, commenced classes in July 2015, soon after Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu. After the cyclone, the graduates provided support to the sectors they were training in, especially tourism, hospitality, youth work and early childhood education, to help businesses and the people of Vanuatu rebuild their lives.

The APTC Vanuatu campus, which operates from the Vanuatu Institute of Technology (VIT), supported VIT after Cyclone Pam, including through substantial support to the re-establishment of VIT’s computer labs.

In addition to its campus in Vanuatu, APTC has campuses in Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.