Fiji requires an annual investment of $104 million to develop new skills for 8,000 individuals. This information was shared by Dr. Ganesh Chand, chairman of Pacific Polytech, during a presentation focused on enhancing labor skills at the Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Annual Business Forum.
Dr. Chand highlighted that the estimated total cost of training these 8,000 individuals in the blue-collar sector stands at $104 million per year. He noted that $67 million could come from government grants, while $38 million would be provided through tuition support, outlining the current education funding model.
Currently, the country is investing only $42 million to train 3,780 people, resulting in a deficit of $62 million. Dr. Chand emphasized that the funding should originate from countries benefiting from Fiji’s investments in skill development. He pointed out that these nations are reaping $1.2 billion worth of investments from Fiji, which could be allocated to the training of blue-collar workers and skill enhancement.
Moreover, he expressed concerns over the declining working life in Fiji due to migration, particularly among individuals aged 30 to 35, most of whom hold valuable skills. He stated that the current working life in Fiji averages around 15 years, necessitating the production of 8,000 new individuals for the labor market each year. Unfortunately, the actual number of skilled individuals trained in recent years hovers around 1,500, falling short of the needed 3,000 figures.
Dr. Chand raised questions about whether the seriousness of this issue is recognized and understood by planners, indicating a significant gap in addressing the current skills deficit in Fiji.
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