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2013 NEWS ARCHIVE

Over 60 students graduate from APTC in PNG

Dec 13, 2013

On Tuesday, 10 December 2013, over 60 students out of 131 eligible to graduate, were awarded Australian qualifications from the Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC).  The graduation ceremony, attended by family and friends of the graduates, staff of APTC and official guests, provides an opportunity to recognise the tremendous achievements of APTC’s PNG graduates. 

The ceremony was held at the APTC Port Moresby Campus with Port Moresby Technical College at Idubada.   APTC is a development initiative of the Australian Government that delivers training to increase the supply of skilled workers in targeted industry sectors in the Pacific.  The College has campuses in Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

They join over 5,600 APTC graduates from 14 Pacific Island countries. A recent survey shows over 90% of graduates are gainfully employed. Since 2007 APTC has graduated 325 Female and 854 Males in PNG, a total of 1179 Papua New Guinean graduates who have received internationally recognised Australian qualifications at a Certificate III or IV level, having successfully completed their studies in one of the following APTC courses: Automotive, Carpentry, Children’s Services, Commercial Cookery, Diesel Fitting, Disability Studies, Fitting & Machining, Hairdressing, Home and Community/Aged Care, Hospitality, Plumbing, Tourism, Training and Assessment, Wall and Floor Tiling and Youth Work.

APTC is achieving such targets through partnership arrangements and connections with industry, employers, community and governments at national and regional levels. APTC partners in PNG are Port Moresby Technical College (POMTECH), Hastings Deering in Port Moresby, and Coral Sea Hotels.  These partnerships between industry and the APTC combines the best that each has to offer, and leads to internationally recognised trade qualifications for students and national development benefits for PNG and the Pacific region.

In 2012, APTC received approval from the Australian Aid regional program to build additional facilities at the Port Moresby campus to enable the delivery of Hospitality and Tourism in PNG. Program delivery has begun while the facilities are nearing completion.

The new Hospitality facility includes new classrooms, training kitchens for Commercial Catering/Cookery, Hospitality Operations (Food & Beverages). The facility also includes a space set aside for future development of a Retail Bakery training program. The facility will also accommodate 80 students in a secure compound within Port Moresby Technical College.

APTC CEO Denise O’Brien hosted more than 250 invited guests at the graduation ceremony, including representatives from the Australian Government, PNG government agencies, industry officials, local institutes, APTC alumni, graduates’ families and employers.

Honourable Mark Maipakai MP, Minister of Labour & Industrial Relations, Member for Kikori Open, is the Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker.

Special achievements for this graduation include:

• In total there are 46 Female students graduating

• 1 Female Metal Fabrication – Theda Theo

• 1 Female Fitting & Machining – Audrey Able

• 5 Male  Hospitality

• 3 Male Youth Work

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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