Graduate Mereani Manumanunivalu now has the qualifications to do something she is passionate about – helping those who are disabled in her community.

This comes after the Australia-Pacific Technical College student, originally from Bukuya, Magodro in Ba, graduated with Certificate IV in Disability yesterday in Suva.

The 48-year-old mother is among the 200 graduates who were presented certificates in 19 different programmes where more than half were women.

Five gained certificates in plumbing, light vehicle mechanical technology, painting and decorating, and wall and floor tiling.

She said: “This course is really important for me and close to my heart because it involves something I love doing.

“I am a community worker and I love working with people who have disability to provide them with help and support.

“I want to teach in my community that working or trying to understand disabled people, especially children is not hard at all.”

She is calling on the public take up the course to help make our communities better.

APTC also marked a milestone by having trained 10,000 graduates from across the Pacific region since the college started operation in 2007.

Chief guest, President Major-General (Ret’d) Jioji Konrote, while acknowledging the achievement of the institute, said: “This is significant achievement not only for APTC but also for the Australian government.

“It’s considered prudent that we acknowledge this significant contribution by the Australian government in establishing the APTC, which is Australia’s major investment in Technical Vocational and Education Training (TVET) across the Pacific.”

Graduated students have studied at the APTC Fijian campus and other campuses in Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Vanuatu.

The ceremony yesterday was held at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, where students graduated in carpentry, commercial cookery, early childhood education and care, diesel fitting, electro-technology electrician, fabrication trade, health services assistance, hospitality, individual support, light vehicle mechanical technology, painting and decorating, patisserie, plumbing, wall and floor tiling, business, disability, leadership and management, training and assessment and youth work.

Edited by Naisa Koroi