Certificate III in Electrotechnology (UEE30811)
For APTC graduate Avakuki Rabia from Fiji, an Australian qualification has supported several career advancements. He works for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Meteorological Services as the leading hand looking after generators and electrical works for government stations in the Lau Group, in the Eastern part of Fiji.
In 2018, Avakuki decided to accept APTC’s offer to study Certificate III in Electrotechnology (UEE30811) at the Papua New Guinea Campus.
One of his biggest challenge was studying in a foreign country, away from his family for six months.
“Even though it was challenging, I was motivated to have a better future for me and my family. I needed to upskill. It takes a lot of courage to stay away from family and work while balancing studies,” he said.
He shares that his course in PNG helped him to level up his electrical skills, and also learn from his colleagues who are specialists in their fields within the electrical industry.
“For me, I specialise in lines and some of my colleagues are experts in other areas like controls, motors, generators, etc. My colleagues brought with them in-depth experience from different fields within the same sector,” he explained.
Avakuki’s takeaway from his APTC training was the ability to work in precision through calculations, post-training. For example, calculating materials needed for domestic wiring, size of cables, length of cables for wiring, and the thickness of wire from the power pole to the house.
“One of the first tasks I was entrusted with when I returned to work after studying, was to estimate the electrical work for a new office building. I was able to complete it because I learnt that as part of my studies at APTC.”
Avakuki is confident that with over 18 years of work experience and after his APTC training, he can start his own electrical business because he is capable of doing everything that a general licensed electrician can do.
“What APTC has done to me and my family, I will be forever indebted. My family may not fully know all the struggles I had to go through in PNG, but they now enjoy a better standard of living because of what my APTC certificate has brought me.”
While he is thankful that his Certificate has helped him progress in the electrical field, Avakuki is hopeful that his Australian qualification will lead to overseas employment in the future.