Students celebrate achievements at Tuana’imato

By Ilia L. Likou 03 August 2016, 12:00AM

Fifty-eight graduates of the Australian-Pacific Technical College (A.P.T.C.) celebrated their achievements at Tuana’imato, Gym 1, yesterday.

The graduates received qualifications in nine different programmes such as: Carpentry, Commercial Cookery, Early Childhood Education, Heavy Fabrication, Hospitality, Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology, Painting and Decorating, Plumbing and Youth Work.

“This day is your day, you have demonstrated courage, hard work and dedication to your learning, as a result you have been awarded an Australian vocational qualification that is recognized nationally and internationally,” said A.P.T.C. Chief Executive Officer, Denise O’Brien.

“You have made sacrifices to undertake your studies at A.P.T.C. We know that for many, you needed to leave your place of work, your family and community for a period of time in order to undertake your studies.

 “We thank your employers and families who have supported you through this time.”

A graduate with a Certificate III in Plumbing, Isaia Sulusi said that behind each graduate there must have been at least a dozen people providing support in at least a dozen ways.

“I would like to thank the government of Samoa for maintaining and continuing this wonderful partnership with the Australian government by giving us these precious opportunities to study and to have access to high standards and quality education in a different variety of fields meeting the Australian standards,” he said.

“Also to our employers…we are very happy to say thank you very much for allowing us to study in the A.P.T.C., we appreciate your 100% support.

 “The best way we graduates can show our gratitude is to make the most of the opportunity we’ve been given and to go forward into the world with the intention of making it a better place for the generations that follow us.

“And for us, we will pay that debt of gratitude forward."

He also thanked all the trainers for the talent and their time they shared.

“Yes, we know it was their (trainers) job to do it, but what they did for us went beyond the call of duty…thank you for your patience.

“To our families and friends, you dragged us out of bed each morning, made sure we had breakfast and clothed for school, these are just a few of the thousands of ways you’ve supported us on our journey.

 “This new day marks a new chapter in our lives, the book is our lives and our lives is the story and we’re going to make good use of it."

By Ilia L. Likou 03 August 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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