TONGA’S Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala has launched the kingdom’s first National Apprenticeship Policy.
This has been described as an important milestone in Tonga’s efforts to establish an inclusive, industry-driven, and quality-assured apprenticeship system.
The policy builds on the Quality Apprenticeship Pilot Programme, which began in 2024 with 21 students from the Ahopanilolo Technical Institute and private sector employers in the tourism and hospitality sector.
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the policy provides a national framework to strengthen the transition from education and training into employment and to support the development of a skilled and resilient workforce.
The policy was developed through a collaboration among the Ministry of Commerce, Consumer, Trade, Investment and Labour, the Ministry of Education and Training, the Tonga Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc., technical and vocational education and training institutions, and the Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board (TNQAB), with technical and advisory support provided by the ILO throughout the policy formulation process.
The programme has now expanded to 36 apprentices placed with 19 employers across cookery, accommodation services, fashion design, and hairdressing, with further expansion into the construction sector expected later this year.
ILO stated that Tonga faces a range of labour market challenges, including a limited formal job market, high levels of informality, gender disparities, institutional constraints, and mismatches between available skills and labour market demand. The ILO will continue to support the implementation, monitoring, and review of the policy, which will guide the continued development and expansion of Tonga’s apprenticeship system over the next four years.
