Milmila and Woolnaugh Technical Vocational centres in Kokopo district East New Britain were proud recipients of two dinghies and outboard motors.
The sea vessels came with other fishing accessories from the National Fisheries College (NFC).
The handover ceremony took place at the Woolnough beachfront in Raluana LLG on Wednesday.
Officiating at the ceremony were Deputy Principal, National Fisheries College Matia Rikis, ENB Provincial Advisor Fisheries and Marine Resources, Enock Pabon and Regional TVET Coordinator NGI Tasman Dau.
Dau said since the launch of the Fisheries Program in 2014 by the National Fisheries Authority through National Fisheries College, it has been a challenge for the institutions to embrace the program. Woolnaugh and Milmila were the only two selected TVET Centres in the province who were able to persevere with their program.
Dau said the Fisheries program came about after a training needs analysis was conducted in 2011 to TVET centres offering Fisheries courses. After the launch in 2014, the fishing component of the Commercial Fishing Operations National Certificate 1 program was offloaded to selected TVET Centres and Milmila and Woolnaugh were included.
Upon completion of the training in the TVET centres, the students then proceeded to the NFC in Kavieng for Safety training.
The Fisheries program was offloaded with a fishing gear materials and equipment required to facilitate the program with boasts and engines.
This is the second support from the Fisheries Training Advisory Committee of NFA through the
NFC, to replace the dinghies and outboard motors.
Dau was happy to testify that the fisheries program had produced a lot of students who are now working onboard foreign fishing companies and processing plants around the country.