Mother of 2 Breaks Auto Engineering Barrier

Meresaini Simpson broke boundries when she graduated with an automotive engineering qualification from Pacific Polytech Nausori Campus on Thursday.

The 36-year-old mother of two left her children in Savusavu to pursue her National Certificate Level Three in Automotive Mechanical Engineering, proving that women can excel in traditionally male-dominated fields.

"I want to encourage the women out there that they also can come and get through along with this,"

Ms Simpson said after the graduation ceremony at Vunimono Hall.

"It's a great challenge, like not only men can do it, it's also women can do it."

Ms Simpson's journey was not easy. She balanced part-time work with her studies while supporting her two children - one in Year Nine and another in Year Five - who remained in Savusavu with family.

"It was like a great challenge because I have a part time job and also I have my mother. I have to have money to support my children," she said.

The single mother received financial support through the Tertiary Education Loan Scheme (TELS), which helped make her education possible.

Ms Simpson, who previously graduated in tourism studies from Fiji National University, thanked Pacific Polytech for giving ger a better chance.

"If I did not know about Polytech from my friends and other colleagues, I would not have been a graduate today," she added.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, who officiated at the ceremony, praised the 181 graduates for taking advantage of second chances in education.

Ms Simpson's children could not attend the ceremony because Term Two had started on Tuesday.

Her message to others was simple: "You can do it. Keep carrying on so you can go out in the field of work so you can gain more experience."

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