Skilled employees at the Suva City Council (SCC) will have the opportunity to enhance their qualifications through new skill-based certificates, following a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Pacific Polytech (PP).
Tevita Boseiwaqa, the acting chief executive officer of SCC, stated that this agreement is designed to benefit a significant portion of their workforce, with more than 200 staff members expected to participate. He emphasized the importance of the initiative, noting that it encompasses three-quarters of the employees due to the council’s multi-level and multi-skilled approach.
Boseiwaqa indicated that SCC intends to perform a training needs analysis to pinpoint specific areas where staff members can leverage the MoU. This analysis will help identify personnel requirements and aim to diversify skill sets within the workforce. He highlighted that developing a multi-skilled workforce will provide employees with stronger growth opportunities compared to specializing in one area.
Peni Taoi, founding director of Pacific Polytech, expressed his enthusiasm for the new agreement, which complements similar MoUs established with Labasa and Nasinu Town Councils. He added that Pacific Polytech focuses on technical training and upskilling to meet emerging opportunities.
This marks the third partnership of its kind for PP, following the previous agreements with other councils.