Two mothers were thankful to the Ministry of Youth and Sports for making mobile skills training programmes available to them at no cost.

Sharina Rizwan, 26 and Anaisi Tawake, 23 were among the 20 participants who graduated with basic Skin Care and Facial Therapy certificate from the Spa Academy in Nadi.

They scooped the highest mark in theory and practical and were awarded by Minister Parveen Bala during the academy’s graduation on Thursday.

Mrs Rizwan said, “This health and beauty industry is a growing business. New treatments and technology are always being developed. With more services being offered, there is a greater demand for skilled clinicians and therapists.”

The mother-of-three children thanked the ministry for the opportunity. She said the course would complement her online business which was established last year.

Mrs Tawake, said the beauty therapy courses offered many advantages for both unemployed youths with interests in beauty therapy and young budding entrepreneurs.

Minister Bala during his speech said that the ministry had carried out a total of 20 Mobile Skills Training programmes with a total of 590 youths trained so far in the past financial year of 2019-2020.

He acknowledged the respective facilitators from the academy in delivering the respective sessions and assisting the ministry in achieving its intended vision which was; “Building values that lead to success”.

“This Mobile Skills programme is an outreach; capacity and skills building programme. It utilises vocational education to teach individual youths to improve their skills, building from the skills that they already possess,” he said.

“Young people are at the forefront of change and innovation, and many have the spirit to make things happen. They just need to be given the space to excel. I have seen it within so many fields in my work with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, in the work we do with young businesses, and within environmental issues to name a few areas.”

Spa Academy principal, Debra Sadranu, said: “We are excited as leaders in the industry to see our students venture in business.

“We are not only relying on tourism but with the locals as well. We have to keep our economy going.”

She encouraged all to become socially responsive and contribute to the positive enhancement of their communities and nation.

Edited by Selita Bolanavanua

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