Skills gap consultations held with stakeholders

Stakeholders from the public and private sector including human resource practitioners held discussions with the Minister for Employment, Parveen Bala, on the skills gap in Fiji’s labour market.

Bala highlighted that the purpose of the consultation was to hear the views of key stakeholders on the prevalent issues surrounding skills labour shortages in Fiji, and at the same time ensure a win-win outcome for both employers and workers.

This consultation resulted from the increase in the number of deployment of Fijian workers for overseas employment under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility currently facilitated by the National Employment Centre of the Employment Ministry.

The Ministry has received constructive feedback from key stakeholders with a keen focus on skilled labour shortages, skills mismatch, enhancing the apprenticeship scheme, strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training short courses, strategizing the education system, and looking at the sustainability of the economy.

Bala acknowledged the feedback and measures raised by the key stakeholders adding that the Ministry of Employment is committed to working towards a way forward with the key stakeholders in addressing the current skills gap for a better Fiji and a sustainable economy.