It was a proud day for 17 Tuvalu APTC students when they graduated in the presence of their Prime Minister. 

The Prime Minister, the Honourable Willy Telavi, was the keynote speaker when the 17 Tuvalu citizens graduated from the Australia-Pacific Technical College in a ceremony at the Tuvalu Government Conference Room.

Welcome address was given by Mr John Davidson, Minister Counsellor Pacific, AusAID. The President of the Tuvalu Church of EKT, the Reverend Tofiga Falani opened and closed the ceremony with a blessing.

The ceremony took place in the presence of some 70 invited guests, which also included the New Zealand High Commissioner for Tuvalu and other Australian, New Zealand and Tuvaluan Government dignitaries, AusAID staff, industry partners, friends and family.

The College is an initiative of the Australian Government, managed by AusAID and has campuses in four countries – Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea and soon to open in Solomon Islands. It is a centre of training excellence, helping individuals gain Australian standard skills and qualifications for a wide range of vocational careers.

The 17 graduates represented a variety of the courses offered by the APTC graduating in Certificate III in Children’s Services, Certificate III in Hospitality (Commercial Cookery, Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and Certificate III in Automotive Technology.

All qualifications are recognised by the Australian Qualifications Framework, which gives APTC graduates the opportunity to work both regionally and internationally.