The University of the South Pacific’s (USP) Pacific TAFE marked a significant milestone by hosting its first-ever industry consultation in the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) last week.
The event sought to strengthen ties with local industries and launch four new cohorts, heralding a new era of vocational education in the Pacific. This follows a series of developments for the Marshall Islands Campus.
In June, the RMI Government renewed its Memorandum of Understanding with USP for the next three years through the RMI-USP Joint Education Programme. In an added boost, the World Bank, through the RMI National Training Council’s Educational and Skills Strengthening Project (ESSP), granted funding to establish a state-of-the-art CVET Centre and develop an induction programme for the RMI workforce.
Director of USP Pacific TAFE, Susan Sela, emphasised the strategic importance of the industry consultation whilst addressing those in attendance. She highlighted Pacific TAFE’s mission of delivering quality vocational education as one of the eight academic units of USP.
“We are here today because we are ready to assist in providing accredited, work-ready qualifications for our people of the Pacific,” she stated. “Quality and relevance are the key drivers of how we work and deliver training.”
Sela said the rigorous quality assurance processes that all programmes undergo ensure that it is nationally and internationally accredited.
“Having industry consultations underscores the critical need to avoid duplication of existing programmes with similar providers and to focus on addressing skills gaps.”
“It showcases the flexibility and agility of Pacific TAFE in providing tailored training that meets the specific needs of the local industry. This bespoke approach is designed to foster a skilled workforce capable of thriving in a global market.”
A highlight of the event was the launch of four new cohorts for RMI. These include:
Acting Campus Director, Setoki Qalubau stated that the Marshall Islands Campus acknowledged the importance of collaborating with local stakeholders such as the RMI National Training Council. He said such partnerships have led to new and exciting initiatives.
This consultation is seen as a pivotal step in fostering future partnerships and collaborations, ensuring that the training provided by Pacific TAFE remains aligned with industry needs and community aspirations.
The initiative is part of the broader ESSP, which aims to increase access to and quality of technical and vocational education and training opportunities, ultimately improving labour market outcomes for the Republic of Marshall Islands.
The Pacific TAFE team conducted similar consultations in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
