Fourteen plumbers from SANMA Province have created history by graduating from Vanuatu’s first ever locally delivered Certificate II in Plumbing course.
The graduates received their certificates after completing all 20 units in the new course.
The course was made possible through the joint effort between Torgil Rural Training Centre (under the Anglican Church of Melanesia Vocational Education and Training School — ACOMVETS), the Vanuatu Skills Partnership (VSP) through the SANMA Skills Centre under the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), and the Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC).
In the keynote address, VSP Director, Fremden Yanhambath, spoke highly of Vanuatu’s flexible training delivery system – including the provincial Skills Centres — as a strategic approach to addressing priority skills gaps.
“SANMA Province now has 14 qualified plumbers to contribute to health security in the face of COVID-19 and the TC Harold reconstruction efforts. This is a milestone for human resource development for the province and the right step in addressing the Vanuatu Government’s priority areas for human resource development.”
Director Yanhambath also reiterated the importance of the role played by the Vanuatu Qualifications Authority (VQA) in ensuring standards are met for vocational training and assessment: “Vanuatu is small, but it is important that we connect with the region and world, and we can do that by prioritising quality standards.”
The accredited training delivered in 43 days has equipped the plumbers with skills to conduct WASH-related community awareness, monitoring and maintenance of community water systems, installation of water pumps and piping systems, and installation of sanitation drainage systems.
Speaking on behalf of the graduates, certified plumber, Rogatien Andre, applauded the organisations and individuals who all contributed to their achievement.
“I would like to announce that we now have a registered plumbing association, ‘Northern Plumbers’ Association’, and we will work to meet all formal requirements to establish a plumbing business. We look forward to using our skills to improving water supply and sanitation in SANMA.”
The newly-developed Certificate II in Plumbing training package was handed over to the VQA CEO, David Lambukly, by APTC Regional Country Director, Anna Naupa, as a certified training package that local training providers can now use.
Photo supplied Caption: Graduates pose for a photo after fixing water pipes at Saint Michel College in Santo