Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Civil Aviation and Education, Viliame Gavoka says he wants the Fiji National University to be the regional centre for civil aviation.
He said this during a recent visit to FNU’s Namaka Campus in Nadi where he also said the Coalition Government would continue to support civil aviation education, especially the training offered by FNU in the various disciplines in the sector.
“I have expressed that with you quite clearly and it is also something that I expressed to my colleagues in Government,” Mr Gavoka said.
He said the global shortage of aviation specialists was evident and Fiji could take advantage of the opportunities this offered.
“But we can overcome that by growing the capacity here to produce more aviation people, and the commitment is there and I want to make sure that it becomes a reality in the resourcing of the institution over the next year.
“We’re exploring more opportunities with the Australian and New Zealand colleagues, and I know there are many other initiatives to grow aviation in Fiji.
“As your Minister for Education, I will be watchful and I will see that whatever decision that comes up suits FNU, you have the resources, you have the backup to put together things like that.”
FNU Chancellor and Chair of Council Semesa Karavaki assured Mr Gavoka that the FNU would continue to respond to Government’s request in relation to aviation industry training.
“One of the requests you had made to us at FNU was that if we can help to provide the training so that we can push the number because there is a great shortage of civil aviation workers in the world, so we have been working towards that,” he said.