Women can now take up plumbing as a career, thanks to an agreement signed between the National Training and Productivity Centre (NTPC) and Habitat For Humanity Fiji.
The memorandum was signed at the Fiji National University Campus in Nasinu yesterday to facilitate Vocational Plumbing Training under the Water for Women Project.
The project is funded by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The training is focused in up-skilling 100 women participants in isolated rural communities in the provinces of Ba and Ra.
FNU Vice Chancellor Nigel Healey said the project was a good initiative to empower women to excel in male-dominated trades.
“FNU is working hard to breakdown the traditional stereotypes and meet more women into male-dominated areas like science and engineering,” he said.
“The aim of the project is to address the representations of women who are facing 50 per cent of water shortages in rural communities.
“NTPC sends trainers for two weeks to live in the community and train women to become more efficient and find skilful jobs. 28,000 Fijians in rural and maritime communities are trained,” Mr Healey said.
He said 56 per cent of women do better than men and 60 per cent of women are graduates.
He is encouraging more women to take science and engineering and other related subjects to join the trade.
Habitat For Humanity Fiji
National director Masimeke Latianara said the organisation mainly targeted low-income families and remote communities in the country.
“Being able to work with a formal institution like FNU and opening doors in the job market for women in rural areas is a huge step,” he said.
“The Water for Women Project aims to strengthen community resilience and inclusion through improved Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in Fiji.
“Through this project, women, girls, people with disabilities, and people from the LGBTIQ will be the drivers of WASH in their communities,” he said.
Edited by Naisa Koroi
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