His Excellency Mr. Andrew Ford congratulated 18 trainees who have returned from three months training for a Certificate II in Community Services (Aged Care) in Fiji. Tonga Skills – in partnership with the Australian Pacific Training Coalition (APTC), Tupou Tertiary Institute and Ma’a Fafine Moe Famili – welcomed the trainees
News
Preventing Accidents at Work Through Skills Training
Accidents at the workplace need to be prevented. The Friendly Island Shipping Agency (FISA) are taking this seriously and have partnered with Tonga Skills to organise Forklift training for 35 drivers from many companies in Nuku’alofa. The trainer, Mr Henry Myers from ASWEFA New Zealand, provided theory and practical training
Let’s Think Differently About People with Disabilities
The International Day of People with Disabilities (3/12/18) is a day to appreciate and celebrate what people with disabilities can achieve – if we remove the barriers that prevent their inclusion. To mark this day, Tonga Skills, conducted an awareness program with the staff members of South Pacific Business Development
Big step forward for people with disabilities
Members of the Disability Persons Organisations (DPOs) are benefiting from a unique partnership that is providing them with a workshop and high-quality electric tools for carving production and training. People with disabilities have developed many new skills in wood, pearl and bone carving through training with Tonga Skills, and are
Tailors Form an Association in Vava’u
The sewing trainer of a recent Tonga Skills training in Tefisi in the far west of Vava’u was impressed with the 23 women who attended her training. She said “this is one of the best groups I have trained as most of them already had basic skills and were
Building back better
After Cyclone Gita in February 2018, many families in Tongatapu and ‘Eua were left without safe and secure housing. A collaborative project between the LDS Church, MORDI, Tonga Institute of Science and Technology (TIST), Caritas, CARE Australi,a and Tonga Skills is doing something to help. More than 250 houses will
Vanilla Gold – Pollination is the name of the game
The saying “vanilla gold” is returning to Vava’u, with prices for vanilla now as high as $1200 pa’anga per kilo on the global market. It is the second most expensive spice in the world after saffron. Vava’u has some of the highest-grade organic vanilla in the world and wants to
Tonga Skills Breaks Down Barriers for Tongans Living with Disability
People with disabilities face multiple barriers to earning an income and gaining economic independence. The Inclusion Strategy of the Tonga Skills program, funded by Australia in Tonga, focusses on a twin-track approach to assist people with disabilities gain new skills, improve productivity and access new markets. With assistance from the
Increasing Income Potential Through Design Skills and Financial Literacy
Linking design skills training and business planning helps artisans increase their income-earning potential. That is why Tonga Skills, funded by Australia in Tonga, facilitates access for women and men in rural communities to skills development to improve the quality and marketability of their products. With assistance from the Tonga Women’s
Tonga Skills Office to Host TATVET Quarterly Meetings
The Tonga Association of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TATVET) recently held a meeting at the Tonga Skills office. Present were representatives from 7 of the training organisations in Tonga as well as 2 staff from VSA (Volunteer Service Abroad). Diane Thorne – George from New Zealand’s VSA discussed
Tonga Skills is supported by the Australian Government, managed by Scope Global.