Engineering Fiji says diploma holders will always be more in demand than engineering degree holders.

Secretary Roveen Permal admits that this is a report of a finding stating that the demand for diploma holders is enormous.

He also says that some local employers have a preference for employing diploma holders when compared to undergraduates.

“Diploma holders get a lot more chances to work in a lot of places, like they can work for city councils, consulting firms, resorts, and developers, so there is more demand for diploma holders compared to engineers.”

Permal says there are around 40 consulting engineering firms in Fiji with an average of 20 employees, and the ratio is one engineer to four or five diploma holders.

Permal’s comments were also in response to plans by the Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Service to conduct a review to realign its assistance program to meet the demands of the local workforce.

TSLS Chief Executive Hasmukh Lal revealed in a press conference that it is considering offering assistance for engineering diploma courses rather than degree programs, according to the demands of local employers.