Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Service to develop a Human Capital Development plan to identify priority areas

The Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Service has engaged a Professor from Queensland University of Technology to develop a 10 year human capital development plan in identifying priority areas.

TSLS Chief Executive Officer Hasmukh Lal says this will provide education and training to people in priority areas of the country and give them recognition through the courses which will be provided for them.

Lal says the development plan will look at areas of employment which require more workers and funding will be allocated to people for different courses.

Meanwhile, Queensland University of Technology Professor Hitendra Pillay says since more local tradespeople are now moving overseas for employment therefore Fiji is losing most of its skilled and trade workers.

He says the plan will allow more people to engage in trade sector studies and build in labour market mobility moving from manual based industry to a knowledge based economy.

Pillay says with a lot of innovations happening, they need to look at the types of training capacities needed to move forward through consultations with different ministries and stakeholders.

The 10 year final draft of the development plan is expected to be ready in the next five months.