THE inaugural cohort of the Solomon Island Government’s ICT Junior Professional Program (JPP) was celebrated on Friday 5 July at a ceremony marking both the end of their six-month placement and Solomon Islands Independence Day.
The JPP was created by SIG with Australian funding in 2024 to provide a pathway for ICT graduates in Solomon Islands to enter the industry and acquire essential skills and experience to kickstart their career.
Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, His Excellency Rod Hilton, said Australia is proud to support the ICT and cyber leaders of tomorrow through the JPP.
“The program has been very successful, and we look forward to seeing participants continue to prosper in the ICT industry, and to welcoming the next cohort,” Mr Hilton said.
The Program recruited ten ICT graduates from Solomon Islands National University and placed them into entry-level roles in SIG ICT Services Unit in Lengakiki.
The cohort has rotated across the SIG ICT Services Unit, gaining experience in network management, customer service, and cyber security.
SIG ICT Services Unit Director Steve Erehiru said welcoming the first JPP cohort to SIG ICT Services was nothing short of a pleasure.
“They have made a real difference to the smooth running of ICT operations across the Government, and I know that they have each learned real world skills that they will take with them to the next stage of their careers,” Mr Erehiru said.
The cohort also had the opportunity to contribute directly to the joint elections, with a deployment into the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission (SIEC) to provide data entry and technical support.
SIEC thanked the JPP participants with formal certificates, which Director Erehiru presented at the ceremony.
ICT graduates interested in being part of the next JPP cohort can lodge an application via Pasifiki HR by 20 July: https://www.pasifikihr.com/job/detail/3418/
