Creating Skills for life
Built-Enviroment

2011 NEWS ARCHIVE

APTC graduates at Samoa Shipping

Oct 28, 2011

The new Samoa Shipping Corporation's (SSC) Marine Engineering and Fabrication Services (MEFS) at Vaitele is totally staffed by graduates of the Australia Pacific Technical College. The skills that they have learned in their APTC courses are at international standard and mean that they can offer services to the public that cannot be done anywhere else in Samoa.

The Workshop Supervisor is Tuiafetea George Poutoa from Alafua who is a father of four children. He was trained in Diesel Fitting at APTC in Suva Fiji. He says that "the APTC training was of an excellent standard. My trainer, Taro Morrison, emphasised safety and high quality standards. Samoa Shipping has encouraged us to implement these same standards into this new workshop at Vaitele so customers don't have to order parts from New Zealand or Fiji - we can fabricate and repair them right here. This benefits Samoa and saves our customers money and time. We get the job done right the first time. "

Two other APTC graduates at MEFS are the senior welders Tui Vaavaoa Masua from Sapunaoa and Mataafa Franz Wulf from Moamoa. They both graduated from APTC in 2010 and are enjoying the chance to use their skills to benefit the public of Samoa. Their customers include large construction companies, transport and bus companies, builders, government ministries, automotive companies, Samoa shipping and other marine companies. The workshop has been equipped with over $NZ 100,000 of state of the art equipment including Plasma cutter, MIG welding machine, lathes, press and milling machinery. Franz said "the training we received from APTC was excellent. The way our trainers explained things and made us understand not only how to do a job, but also why you do it that way, has made us really good tradesmen. Now we have the new equipment we can do excellent work."

Fata Ioane Faifuaina is married with four children and is from Leauvaa. He is the Senior Fitter at MEFS. He did his Australian standard Fitting and Machining Certificate III qualification at APTC in Samoa. "The best thing about APTC is learning and applying the Australian standards. The highest demand from our trainers was for quality and precision in doing our jobs. The training I received challenged me and it has made me very confident and skilled in my job. They taught us how to use the latest machinery and to use new technologies." Ioane is assisted by Sione Belford who is also a graduate of the APTC Fitting and Machining course in Samoa. Ioane said "we all make a great team and between us we can do anything the customer needs". Sione will receive his Certificate at the next APTC graduation in Apia later this year along with over 100 other APTC Samoan graduates from all courses.

According to George "the bosses are really happy with the standards we are producing. I do all the quotes and costings and they are happy with the profits which have increased because of our new skills. I want to see the customer happy - and they are happy because we get lots of repeat business".

The Managing Director of Samoa Shipping Papali'i Willie Nanson said "all our engineers were trained and have graduated from the Australia Pacific Technical College (APTC). I am very comfortable that with their high level skills and the new machinery we can accommodate any kind of work in Samoa. The collaboration with APTC is a very positive and productive one for our business."

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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