The government is going to revamp and provide additional funding to institutions like Pacific Polytech to address the gap created by the migration of Fijian workers.

Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad says this is to ensure that Polytech offers competency-based training programs to help address the nation’s growing skills shortage.

Pacific Polytech’s focus is on providing training for unskilled youth and also opportunities to enter the workforce and contribute to economic growth.

Professor Prasad says one of the big risks for Fiji right now is the shortage of skills and the lack of people in critical areas.

“We have to look at how easily we can facilitate these things so that businesses don’t get stuck, projects don’t get stuck, and investors have appropriate labour.”

Professor Prasad says that they have to make the immigration department efficient so that businesses are able to access the labour market.

Meanwhile, over 400 students graduated from Pacific Polytech last week, equipped with the technical skills and knowledge to enter the workforce or pursue entrepreneurial ventures.