Addressing skills shortages and high youth unemployment through cookery apprenticeships in Tonga

Nuku’alofa, Tonga (ILO NEWS) - The Ministry of Trade and Economic Development (MTED), in collaboration with the Tongan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI), the Ahopanilolo Technical Institute (ATI), and the International Labour Organization (ILO), has launched Tonga’s first Quality Apprenticeship Programme in Cookery. This pioneering initiative aims to tackle skills shortages and high youth unemployment by offering practical training and work-based learning opportunities in the culinary field for Tongan youth.

Youth in Tonga face significant challenges transitioning from school to work, with notable shortages in skilled professions such as teachers, engineers, healthcare professionals, and cooks. This mismatch between the demand and supply of skills not only contributes to high youth unemployment but also drives many young people to seek opportunities abroad.

“Apprenticeships can help bridge this skills gap, meet industry demands, offer cost-effective training, boost sector development, and ease the transition to the workforce,” says Tevita Lautaha, CEO of MTED.

The cookery apprenticeship programme, running from March to November 2024, will train 21 students from the Ahopanilolo Hospitality programme at ATI. These students will gain hands-on experience by working three days a week at local restaurants and spend two days in continued training at ATI. Upon completion, they will receive a Certificate Level 4, recognizing their skills development through the apprenticeship.

Fostering Dialogue and Development

In March 2024, the ILO facilitated a workshop where employers and workers collaborated to negotiate the apprenticeship agreement template. This workshop, part of the ongoing consultations under the Joint Programme on “Advancing the SDGs through Economic Diversification and Digital Transformation,” was a significant step in promoting dialogue.

“A working group comprising MTED, TCCI, and ATI, with support from the ILO, designed the apprenticeship programme based on the international Quality Apprenticeship Recommendation (R208), tailored to Tonga’s context,” notes Tevita Lautaha.

The 2023 Recommendation on Quality Apprenticeships emphasizes continual skilling in changing job markets, ensuring apprentice protection, fair pay, reasonable hours, leave entitlements, and fundamental rights. Helen Kirsch, a Technical Officer at the ILO Office for Pacific Island Countries, highlights the importance of work-based learning in transforming education and labour markets.

This collaborative effort aims to empower Tongan youth with essential skills and opportunities within the local job market, establishing a foundation for a broader apprenticeship system in Tonga.