Volume 7 No. 4109 October 2015

JOB VACANCIES

ISSN 2303-9779

The Fiji National University Newsletter tracks media coverage of FNU events on a weekly basis. The following news can be found on the website which shows how FNU was featured in the media in the

past week.

Upcoming Events & Notices

In this issue

QCC - powerful tool for economic

growth Pg 1

Book reflects 20 years of QCC Pg 1

20th National Convention on Quality Pg 2

For current JoB opportunities please visit

page 4

FNU IN THE MEDIA THIS WEEK

Quality Control Circles in Fiji have be-come a powerful tool for driving new ideas, identifying new sources of

growth, and pushing companies and organi-zations forward to attain economic growth and transformation.

Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Honourable Jioji Konrote made this comment at the 20th year of Nation-al Convention on Quality (NCQ) at the Novotel Hotel earlier this month.

“Events and discussion forums like NCQ are vital gateways to the country and are cru-

cial to our economic growth and development. “It is also noteworthy that over the past de-

cade, the QC Circles in Fiji have contributed millions of dollars in savings, reduced wastage and developed new products through a multi-tude of QCC projects undertaken by the QC circles and teams before you,” he said.

Mr. Konrote said the Quality Control Cir-cles (QCC) provided a systematic platform for employees of an organisation to resolve work related problems and enhance productivity in their workplace.

Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Jioji Konrote (third from left) with FNU officials at the 20th National Convention on Quality (NCQ)

Conference in Novotel Hotel, Lami.

The National Training and Productivity Cen-tre (NTPC) has launched the first ever book on the subject of the 20 years jour-

ney of Quality Control Circles (QCC) in Fiji.Minister for Education, Heritage, and Arts,

Honourable Dr Mahendra Reddy, while launch-ing ‘A Journey of Quality’ at the National Con-vention on Quality (NCQ) Awards Night at Grand Pacific Hotel (GPH), said the book would pro-vide motivation to other organisations to adopt and embrace Quality in their daily operations.

Dr Reddy said NTPC has taken a bold step in documenting success stories of Quality prac-titioners and QCC organisations in Fiji.

“For many years, Fiji has been looking be-

yond its boundaries for inspiration and best practices to benchmark. I believe books like this with the guidance of NTPC is the beginning of a new era for us all as we look within and find fresh motivation from our local organisations and quality practitioners who have been advo-cating Quality and Productivity initiatives for the past 30 years.

“From this book, we will realise that QCC fosters collaboration and great teamwork. This virtue of working together towards a common goal is contagious and powerful,” he said.

Dr Reddy commended NTPC for its pur-suit in promoting quality and productivity in the country over the past three decades.

(Continued on pg 4)

Book reflects 20 years of QCC

Breast Cancer Awareness SymposiumTHEME: Breast Cancer made Simple23 October, 20159.00am – 3.30pmPasifika Campus Auditorium

Fiji National University & Graduate Women International Policy SeminarTHEME: Education in the Pacific: Bridging the Gender Gap29 October, 20157.00pm – 9.00pmLecture Theatre 1, UniStudioCampus, Raiwai

Fiji Business Excellence Awards31 October, 2015Sheraton Fiji Resort

Alumni Association ElectionSaturday 7 November, 2015

• Celebrating quality• A lesson in sake making• FNU Urges More Partnership With The Private Sector

• Chefs to gather for a cause• Brewing display• Sake Brewing Demo At FNU Food Fest By Japanese Firm

The National Convention on Quality is an annual event organised by the National Training and Productivity Centre (NTPC) since 1991 with the purpose of celebrating, sharing,

benchmarking and recognising outstanding quality circles from all corners of Fiji. It is undoubtedly the premier event on quality for productivity practitioners and for others who wish to learn and for benchmarking.

For many organisations Quality Control Circle (QCC) has been one of their first activities to improve their quality and processes. The circle activities have been premised on the fact that the

workers who actually do the work (hands on employees) are in the best position to make suggestions about work improvement and identifying and eradicating problems and wastages.

The QCCs from various organisations around the country meet once a year to compete at national level. The convention is a display of the ability of our workforce to apply creativity and innovativeness to enhance productivity and competitiveness in their organisations. The National Convention which brings together selected award winning circles to this annual event is one that is eagerly looked forward to by all in the country.

This year marked the 20th anniversary of the National Convention on Quality (NCQ). The theme for this year’s NCQ was “Prosperity through Productivity”, a theme which resonates with Fiji’s aspirations towards fostering productivity and innovation in its pursuit of further growth and development. For the past 19 years there has been an increase in the number of organisation competing on level of recognition. Fiji has over 200 quality circle teams around the country. The future of QCC in Fiji is looking better than yesterday.

In these three decades, NTPC has witnessed a number of organisations in Fiji embrace quality management for business improvement. The success stories have been documented in the form of souvenir book which was launched during the Awards Night which was held at the Grand Pacific Hotel, in Suva on Thursday, 8 October 2015. This year NTPC not only recognised the efforts of the teams but also individuals and awarded them with special awards.

The journey for three decades:

Year: Major Participating Organisations

• Public Works Department • Goodman Fielder • Caxton Ltd • Lees Trading Company • Punja and Sons-Ocean Soaps Limited • FNTC • Air Terminal Services • USP (Fiji Center) • Rewa Corp Dairy Ltd

1986 - 1995

• Suva City Council • Post Fiji • Telecom Fiji • Tube Makers • Quest • Pacific Batteries • Coca Cola • Public Service Commission • Fletcher Steel Ltd • Vodafone Fiji Limited • Danam • ASCO Motors• Fiji Sugar Corporation

• Fiji Electricity Authority • Tanoa Hotel • iTaukei Affairs Board • iTaukei Land trust Board • Fiji Ships Ltd • Flour Mills of Fiji Limited • Various Schools • Fiji National University

1996 - 2005

2006 - 2015

• Quality Circle Manager of the Year • Quality Circle Facilitator of the Year • Quality Circle Leader of the Year

• Innovative Team of the Year • Model Quality Circle Organisation

The number of organisations implementing quality circles is increasing every year. A total of five (5) organisations took part this year, Fiji Electricity Authority, iTaukei Land Trust Board, Fiji Sugar Corporation, Public Service Commission, and Fiji Revenue & Customs Authority.

This year, the National Convention on Quality event was privileged with the presence of three international speakers, Dr. Larry Prusak ,

Dr. Priscilla Allen and Mr. Yong Kok Seng. This year also witnessed a large number of observers reaching 320 people from all over Fiji.

QCC brings about abundance of talents, creativity and pride shown during the presentations by the QC Circles. As such, NTPC will continue to support the event and create opportunities for new organisations to participate and to learn from each other to build a strong foundation for collaborative partnerships.

Viliame Ake

Unise Duavesi Hasmukh Patel

Manoj Kumar

Quality Circle

Manager of the Year-Team Elite

Quality Circle Leader

of the Year-Team Jetsetters

Model Quality Circle

OrganisationFEA

Quality Circle

Facilitator of the Year-

FEA

Innovative Team of the Year - Team Inspire of FEA with FNU Chancellor Ikbal Jannif

Dr. Priscilla Allen Mr. Yong Kok Seng Dr. Larry Prusak

Gold Medal Winner Team Jetsetters iTLTB with Minister of Education, Heritage and Arts Hon. Dr Mahendra Reddy

Silver Medal Winner Team Inspire of FEA with FNU Chancellor Ikbal Jannif

Bronze Medal Winner Team Elite of FSC Rarawai Mill

The FNU newsletter is prepared by University Communications. Send your articles to SPRO@fnu.ac.fj

VacanciesFor job vacancies and career opportunities at Fiji National University, go to www.career.fnu.ac.fj New posts are logged each week for academic and non-academic vacancies, so check regularly for the opportunity that could lead you to a new life. Some of the positions

currently available online:

• AssociateDean–HigherEducation(Engineering)

• TrainingOfficer–TrainingofTrainers• LecturerIIinFabricationandWelding

• LecturerIinAviation• LecturerIinEnvironmentalScience• ITTrainingOfficer• FinanceOffice

• SeniorPayrollOfficer• Groundsman• ProjectCoordinator• PublicRelationsandMarketingOfficer

He also commended National Training and Productivity Cen-tre’s (NTPC) effort towards driving and promoting productivity in the country.

“I applaud NTPC’s efforts towards fostering productivity and innovation for greater socio-economic prosperity and develop-ment and in bringing global best practices to Fiji.

“This year is significant to NTPC and to the entire productivity fraternity in Fiji as we mark the 20th Anniversary of the NCQ in Fiji.

“The National Convention on Quality has come a long way since its commencement in 1991. Over the past two decades, the NCQ has provided Fijian corporate and government agen-cies with a platform for discussion and learning on the practi-cal aspects of improving productivity through the use techniques

such as Quality Control Circles,” he said.Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Ian Rouse, said QCCs

grant workers the opportunity to think, lead and implement ideas they believe which will bring about improvements at the work-place.

“When trained properly and empowered, these circles can achieve a lot and this is what we have seen for the past 20 years through the conventions held in the past.

“Today it is widely agreed that quality, productivity and inno-vation are the key drivers that create new wealth,” said Professor Rouse.

Ten teams participated in this year’s Convention with the theme ‘Prosperity through Productivity.’

QCC - powerful tool for economic growth(Continued from pg 1)