As PNG economy moves towards unprecedented growth, due to substantial extraction of mineral and natural resources, the demand of a locally skilled workforce is imperative and must be met to achieve maximum participation.
These were the remarks of Australia’s Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Brett Mason, who was part of the ground breaking ceremony, of a new National Automotive Training Centre at the Australia Pacific Training Centre, in Port Moresby today.
Mr. Mason also emphasized that this is directly related to the Vision 2050 that PNG is aspiring towards.
Also representing the Department of Education was Acting First Assistant Secretary, T.V.E.T, Wini Leka, who thanked the Australian Government and its commitment to bettering higher education in PNG.
Mr. Leka said natural resources and minerals are important for economic growth, but stressed that a locally trained workforce was equally important.
An extra 180 automotive trade training places for Papua New Guineans will be created at a new National Automotive Training Centre, to be built in Port Moresby.
A large workshop space and six large classrooms will provide for the delivery of competency-based automotive mechanical, auto-electrical and diesel fitting training programs.
Australia will provide approximately K1.1 million towards the Government of Papua New Guinea’s K4.5 million project, which is expected to be completed in September 2014.
At a time when PNG experiences a high unemployment rate and poverty, institutions as such can greatly combat these adversaries and create a trade-viable human resource that can cater for job opportunities within the robust industrial sector.
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