Kelera Ditaiki 
The government has stepped up efforts to address Fiji’s skills shortage by aligning training programmes with workforce needs.
Minister for Employment Agni Deo Singh says previous gaps in workforce planning led to poor scholarship alignment, high student failure rates, and the write-off of about millions of dollars in student loans.
Therefore, the 2024 reforms included a national skills assessment to direct scholarships toward sectors facing labour shortages.
“The purpose of the survey was to identify skills mismatch against the skills that are available and supplied to the labor market and those that are demanded by the employers.”
Singh says apprenticeships have been strengthened, while vocational centers in secondary schools have reopened to expand technical training.
“We have now strengthened so that we are able to ensure that employers comply with the minimum standards and are paying the workers the correct wages. We have, as I said yesterday, collected around $4 million for short-change workers and paid that recovered sum to the workers.”
He says government is improving workplace conditions and wage compliance to retain workers in sectors like teaching, healthcare, and trades.
The Minister says, the National Skills and Labor Demand survey is expected to be launched next month.
