The Timber Forest Training College (TFTC) in Lae, Papua New Guinea has sent six students to New Zealand for employment for the first time this year. This is after 39 years of offering certificates in skills training. College principal Vagi Lovo said this was history for the school during the 39th graduation last week.Source: PNG Post Courier
“A positive thing worth noting for the school this year, I am pleased to announce that among 33 graduates, six of them have been offered positions by a company called Rodco Forest Growth Management in New Zealand,” Mr Lovo said.
He said the employment offered by Rodco is on a three-year contract with provision of renewal.
Mr Lovo said according to the manager of the company who visited the college and interviewed the students concerned in August, there was possibility of extending opportunities of the college graduates employment with his company next year and into the future.
Mr Lovo said the school administration and the company’s management are currently communicating for the possibility of putting in place a system whereby the company can sponsor certain number of students each year so that upon graduating they can be employed right away.
“We are making progress and look forward to sending more of our graduating students to New Zealand.
“The six students selected for employment are expected to take up the offer as soon as they complete their visa and passport, which they are currently working on,” Mr Lovo said.
He said the school has a long history with the people from the ‘Land of the long white cloud’.
“TFTC was led and administered by New Zealanders in the 1980s. To this day the school as the only institution in the country that provides skills training to young people in the downstream processing of the forest sector is a result of the good relationship with New Zealand,” he said.
Mr Lovo said the school generates its own revenue through timber, furniture sales and sawmill and chainsaw servicing.
“New Zealanders have also been of great help in providing technical assistance with the machines of the school,” he added.
Mr Lovo said that six students selected for employment in New Zealand are all certified with certificates in log scaling, small sawmill operations and apprentice stage one block course in wood machining and saw doctoring.
