President of Nauru and the Pacific Islands Forum Chair Baron Waqa has called on stakeholders to lift their game.

Speaking at the Pacific Skills Summit, President Waqa has called on Civil Society Organisations, Businesses, and Educators as well those in government and the private sector to do more when it comes to skills challenges.

“Training institutions must lift their game in terms of the quality and relevance of the skills of their graduates, and strengthen their engagement with their students and employers. Businesses must lift their game by using the full capabilities of their workforce, developing their staff and creating new and meaningful jobs for new entrants to the workforce.”

Board Chair for the Australia Pacific Training Coalition Kaye Scofield took on the President’s advice, further urging the 300 plus delegates to think outside of the box when it comes to sustainable jobs for the region.

“You challenge us to make the necessary links between skill and labor mobility, you challenge us to make change happen and not to be fearful of change and to repeat the words of the Pro Chancellor Thompson earlier, you are asking us all to be brave.”

Focus areas over the two day summit have included gender empowerment, the future of work, addressing the skills gap and assessing the state of Pacific Skills.

The summit which is being held at the University of the South Pacific’s Laucala Campus concludes today.