Australian High Commission
Papua New Guinea

Address by Australian High Commissioner Bruce Davis for the Handover of Heidelberg Press at Port Moresby Technical College

                                                                                   Handover of Heidelberg Press

                                                         Addressy by Australian High Commissioner  Bruce Davis

                                                                   Port Moresby Technical College (POMTECH)

                                                                                           Thursday May 4 2017

 

Acknowledgements:

  • Mr. Henry Wamaingu, A/Principal
  • Mr. Heni Frank, Governing Council — Chairman
  • Mr. Tom Kipau, Director— National Apprentice Trade Testing Board
  • Dr. Uke Kombra, PhD, Education Secretary

Distinguished guests, college staff, students, ladies and gentlemen.

It is a pleasure to be here to see the newly installed and very large Heidelberg printing and graphic pre-press machines at Port Moresby Technical College. 

This is state-of-the-art printing equipment which will produce high quality printed products.

Students who graduate after training on the Heidelberg will be trained in the latest international printing techniques.  

Previously, graduating students would still need to get considerable training on the job. This will no longer be the case.

In fact, I hear that since implementing the machine, many large printing firms intend to send staff to Port Moresby Technical College to upgrade their skills. This is being handled by the National Apprentice Trade Testing Board.

I commend the college and the National Apprentice Trade Testing Board for working together to ensure that people already in the industry have a chance to modernise their skills. 

I am particularly pleased to hear that the Heidelberg printer will enable the college to deliver higher-level qualifications, including the Certificate III and Advanced Diploma.

I am also pleased to hear that of the current 27 students studying to become qualified printers, 12 are women. This is so important.

It must be both women and men who build Papua New Guinea’s future. Nations do not fulfil their potential if they deny the women of their country – half their population – from important leadership and economic opportunities.

Ladies and gentlemen, today is an important day for the printing industry across Papua New Guinea.

Having a workforce that can produce products to an international standard is  important to a company’s commercial success.

It is equally important for a country’s economic success.

If a country’s tradespeople cannot match the skills found in other countries, it is difficult to compete economically.

The Heidelberg printer at POMTECH is symbolic of how Papua New Guinea is more broadly facing the challenge of securing economic and social progress. In this instance, progress is coming from having the right infrastructure, the right standard of education, and graduates with the right skill levels.

Progress also comes from good collaboration with like-minded institutions. It is tremendous that POMTECH has worked closely with its next door neighbour, the Australia-Pacific Technical College – or APTC as it is known – to assist with putting the printer in place and arranging the catering for today’s handover.

But of course, the collaboration works both ways. APTC is grateful to POMTECH for providing the land for its campus. This close proximity to each other allows for synergies between the two colleges.

Perhaps the most prominent one is the newly constructed automotive repair centre in the building next door, which will open soon and be shared by POMTEC and APTC.

To conclude, I extend my congratulations to POMTECH on acquiring such an impressive piece of equipment. I am confident you will produce many highly skilled artisans keenly sought after by commercial printing companies.

In particular, I extend my thanks to Dr. Kombra and the National Department of Education for their support and cooperation in installing this printer and much other equipment through the Direct Funding Scheme.

Finally, to the students here today, I encourage you to work hard at your studies and wish you every success.

Thank you.