College students get pioneering certificates

Business

A GROUP of 27 students graduated in two pioneering certificate programmes at the National Fisheries College in Kavieng, New Ireland, last week.
College principal Jeff Kinch said this was part of the plan to progressively build the capacity of locals in the commercial fisheries sector dominated by foreigners.
Fifteen participants graduated under Aquaculture Certificate Three and 12 in the Fisheries Operations Certificate Four.
“In different programmes we are now upscaling the courses to show the industry players which we all know are mainly dominated by Filipino and Thai companies that there is the ability for Papua New Guineans to rise up in the ranks to become inter middle management or to have better positions on fishing vessels,” Kinch said.
“We continue to improve and we are trying to respond to the requirements of the fishing sector in PNG at all levels from the village community person to the person who just wants to sell better quality fish at the market, to SME and cooperatives and to the big fishing companies that provide us with tinned food.”