Fijians are set to benefit from significant developments in workforce training and education tourism, with Canadian investors exploring opportunities that could bring long-term benefits to the local population.
The plans are expected to begin taking shape in the next 3 to 6 months.
This initiative came to light following Prime Minister’s Investment Fiji’s mission to North America last May, which was led by Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica.
Investment Fiji says the mission, aimed at strengthening ties with the Fijian diaspora, saw a group of Canadian business leaders visiting Fiji to explore investment opportunities.
They say their arrival marks an important step in expanding business and educational collaborations between Canada and Fiji.
Speaking at the press conference today, CEO of Laul Global Adventures, Sanjay Laul says his company, which has ventures in education, real estate and IT training across Canada and India, is looking to invest in Fiji’s education and real estate sectors.
He says their focus will be on workforce development, aiming to introduce international educational programs at Fiji National University and other institutions to enhance local skills.
He further says Fiji could attract international students to pursue short-term programs or full degree courses.
Meanwhile, Financial and Investment Specialist, Sashi Singh says opportunities in Fiji are immeasurable.
He says Fiji has the potential to bring in international students, stating that currently there are only around 1,000 international students in Fiji, mostly from specific regions.
He says the importance of collaborating with local institutions to develop curriculum is to meet the needs of the global job market, such as courses in AI, data science and cybersecurity.
When asked about the criteria for Fijians to benefit from these projects, Laul says while they have a clear vision for their investments, the approach must be adaptable to the needs of the local context.
He says there is no standard solution and they are looking at opportunities that fit with the local needs and structure.
He adds that once they have the groundwork in place, they will start collaborating and delivering workforce development solutions.
