His Excellency, Mr. Ewan McDonald, Australia's High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea and Honorable Kinoka Feo, Minister for Higher Education Research and Science Technology today officially launched the Pacific Australia Skills in Papua New Guinea Training program, at the Iduba Port Moresby Technical College, National Capital District.

Pacific Australia Skills is the Australian Government's regional Skills and training program supporting quality skills for employment in the Pacific region. It focuses on skills for employment, supporting Papua New Guineans to gain the skills needed for jobs in Papua New Guinea.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Minister Feo said, that this launching event marks yet another milestone in the long-standing partnership between Papua New Guinea and Australia in advancing skills development, workforce capability and national development.

“Today’s launch is simply not about the new program, it is about investing in people, it is about creating opportunities for our young people. And it is about strengthening the future of Papua New Guineans through quality technical and vocational education and training.

“The Pacific Australia Skills program builds on the strong foundation established through the Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC), which has contributed significantly to skills training and workforce development across PNG and the Pacific region over many years,” said Minister Feo.

Under Australia Pacific Training Coalition, the focus was large and direct training delivery through a central training provider module. Pacific Australia Skills represents the next phase of this partnership with emphasis on strengthening Papua New Guineas own institutions, systems, trainers and industry partnerships.

“This new approach is so important because our long-term national objective is not only to train people, but to build a sustainable high quality and internationally competitive TVET system, led by Papua New Guinea and responsive to the needs of our economy. It also reflects our shared commitments with Australia to strengthen national skills systems, improve employment pathways, support labor mobility opportunities, promote inclusion and equity, and prepare our workforce for an emerging industry and greener economies,” said the Honorable Minister.

He also emphasizes on coordination across TVET sector is now a major priority for the Government. This is part of valuable investments and must not operate in isolation.

“Our goal is clear, one coordinated National TVET eco-system working towards shared outcomes for PNG. I therefore encourage all TVET, stakeholders, government agencies, development partners, training institutions, industries and the private sector to work together in genuine partnership and shared responsibilities.

Minister Feo added that the government also wants to see young Papua New Guineans to have hope and the skills necessary to participate meaningfully in the economic growth of Papua New Guinea.

“The future of PNG will not only be built through infrastructure investment, but it will also be built through shared knowledge, skills, innovation and productivity of our people. I therefore commend the Australian Government, all our partners for continued commitment to skills development in Papua New Guinea. On behalf of the Prime Minister and the Government of Papua New Guinea I officially welcome and support the Pacific Australia Skills program and look forward to a successful implementation for the benefit of our people and our nation. May God Bless our partnership.” Concluded Honorable Kinoka Feo.

In his joint speech, His Excellency, Mr. Ewan McDonald said it is a pleasure to be part of the launching of Australia’s newest skills program and reiterate on the Ministers comments on the PNG-Australia partnership.

“We have a long history in standing together, PNG and Australia. It’s a relationship built on trust, it’s a relationship built on mutual respect, and a shared commitment to the future of our two countries, and our broader pacific region. Today is about recognizing that skills training and employment are essential to PNG’s development and a critical part to our partnership,” he said.

Ambassador MacDonald highlighted the June 2024 signing of the Renewed Joint Statement of Intent on the TVET program by PNG and Australia, which shows Australia’s commitment to improving the TVET sector in PNG to enable more Papua New Guineans to support the growing industry around PNG. And to benefit from the opportunity offered by Australia’s Labor mobility programs.

“But the leadership, the ownership, and the delivery sit firmly with Papua New Guinean Institutions. And this is the model the joint statement calls for, and it’s the model that we are supporting and committed to support. Pacific Australia Skills is a practical demonstration of this commitment, operating alongside other PNG-Australia Partnership programs in TVET,” He added.

Ambassador McDonald emphasized that the Pacific Australia Skills is stretched across nine (9) other countries in the Pacific and Timor-Leste region. While in PNG, it focuses on quality skills and training, employment opportunities, both domestically and internationally.

While speaking of employment opportunities, Ambassador McDonald called out to the Australian businesses and employers to look into such training and the efforts that is put into the skills training here and to be assured that the people that will be coming out from this skills training can contribute to their businesses back in Australia.

“Across all activity the program will work to empower more women, youth and people with disability, and people form rural and remote areas in Papua New Guinea to access education, skills development and employment opportunities. When all these things link up you see young Papua New Guineans flourish, young people take up these opportunities provided to them.”

“Australia as a long-term partner, we are committed to delivering stronger systems, quality training and meaningful work opportunities for Papua New Guineans. When Papua New Guineas workforce is stronger, Papua New Guinea is stronger,” Concluded H.E, Mr. Ewen McDonald, Ambassador to Papua New Guinea.