Nabilah S
The Higher Education Commission Fiji (HECF) has announced 1800 grants for competency-based training, precisely micro qualifications, to address urgent labor needs in the construction, tourism, hospitality, and automotive industries.
The grant initiative aims to provide a rapid solution to immediate labor shortages within these sectors.
The program will offer a training grant of at least $500 per student, focusing on unemployed individuals aged between 18 and 30, and the training duration will be a minimum of one month.
HECF’s chairperson, Steve Chand, and the chief executive officer, Rohit Kishore, shared these updates during their visit to Labasa.
The HECF has successfully conducted consultations in the Western, Central, and Eastern divisions. This week, they extended their consultations to the Northern division.
“We are truly appreciative of the collaboration with the Fiji Police Force in this endeavor,” Mr. Chand expressed.
“By uniting the efforts of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, the Minister for Education and Higher Education office, and other stakeholders, we are striving for a comprehensive approach where everyone contributes to facilitate the path to employment.”
Starting as soon as October, the commission is set to initiate programs across different vocational training centers.
Meanwhile, Dr. Kishore is urging unemployed young individuals in Fiji, regardless of their reasons for not completing their education, to capitalize on this chance.
“Our aim extends beyond educating and training the youth; we are also facilitating their transition into a job market that is experiencing significant shortages due to the migration of skilled workers from Fiji to countries like Australia and New Zealand,” Dr. Kishore emphasized.
Furthermore, he highlighted that this new initiative is intended to counter the trend of rural-to-urban migration. The team is pleased to note that many applicants are originating from interior regions.
