A total of 46 students of the Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC), of which more than half are women, proudly received an Australian qualification in nine programs during a graduation ceremony in Kiribati on 22 February, 2017.

Since its establishment in 2007, APTC has trained more than 380 Kiribati nationals. APTC is an innovative development project funded by the Australian Government, delivering Australian skills and qualifications for a wide range of vocational careers for skilled workers across the Pacific.

The keynote address was delivered by the Minister for Labour and Human Resources Development, Hon. Mr Ruateki Tekaiara, who congratulated the graduates on their achievement. He encouraged them to not only apply the new skills they have learnt, but also pass it on to others in their workplace and communities.

He was pleased to see that more i-Kiribati women are exploring opportunities in to the non-traditional trades, such as Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology, Painting and Decorating and Wall and Floor Tiling. 

25 women received qualifications at the ceremony, out of which four received qualifications in these trades. To date, more than 150 women from Kiribati have graduated from APTC.

The graduating class also included 22 students from APTC’s Certificate III in Individual Support program. These students were offered the opportunity to undertake training at the APTC campus in Fiji as well as in Kiribati, as a result of an existing collaboration between APTC and the Kiribati Institute of Technology (KIT), which provides a pathway for KIT graduates to undertake training at APTC.

APTC Chief Executive Officer, Ms Denise O’Brien congratulated the students in her closing address.

“APTC is proud to support Pacific Islanders, by providing vocational training to citizens of Small Island States such as Kiribati, to upgrade their skills that will expand their opportunities in their own countries and beyond,” she said.

This was the 11th APTC graduation in Kiribati.