Demand for fisheries workers rising

A demand from the fishing industry for skilled workers is a push for technical vocational education training (Tvet) institutions to train more young Papua New Guineans, says Badili Technical Vocational School senior fisheries trainer Roger Bagi.
He said fisheries courses taught at the institute were being tailored to meet the industry’s needs.
It introduced the course in 2013 with 58 people having been trained since then.
National Fisheries Authority managing director John Kasu said the country’s fisheries sector was growing rapidly and more training was needed to meet the demand.
He said the NFA was now providing training opportunities and assistance to facilitate and develop high-quality fisheries programmes in Tvet centres.
“A decision was made between the National Fisheries College and the Tvet division National Department of Education (NDoE) in 2013 to assist the non-trade division develop a fitting standardised curriculum for fisheries in Tvet centres in the country,” Kasu said.
“We want high-quality Tvet fishery training.
“As such, new fisheries training started in 2014 and 10 institutions in the country have taken up the courses already.”
Meanwhile, Kasu confirmed the beche-de-mer (sea cucumber) trade would open at the beginning of next month.
Beche-de-mer is the fishery which 500,000 people from coastal and island communities use for their livelihood.
NFA had said the delay in opening the season was due to the training courses currently underway in the regions.