ITI formalises recruitment partnership with Lae corporate houses

The International Training Institute [ITI] has formalised a partnership with five major corporate houses in Lae, Morobe, to secure direct employment and training pathways for its graduates.

The institution signed separate Memorandums of Understanding [MoUs] with the Lae Biscuit Company, SVS, Frabelle Fisheries, CBS Tech, and the Lae Travelers Inn last week.

Under the terms of the three-year agreement, the companies will provide immediate on-the-job training placements for ITI students upon the completion of their studies, creating a direct pipeline into the workforce.

ITI chairman and co-founder Senthil Kumaran Sentheyval said while the institution had informally placed students with these corporate partners for years, the signing is part of a shift towards structured institutional cooperation.

"This has been a practice for quite some time, but it is made official now with the companies," Sentheyval said. "We will make sure we do the same for the other companies who take in our students for job training."

Sentheyval said ITI's curriculum remains strictly aligned with industry needs, ensuring graduates transition seamlessly into corporate environments.

"We train our students to be compatible with the workforce, which ITI has a track record of. Companies do not hesitate to make recruitments from us," he said.

Speaking during the presentation, Lae Biscuit Company human resources manager Peter Powih commended the initiative but challenged the prospective trainees to prioritise professional integrity over academic merit alone.

"Being knowledgeable and skilled is one thing, but having a good character makes a person stand out among others," Powih said. "I encourage students to conduct themselves well in the office, having respect for themselves and their peers in any working environment."

Industry representatives at the ceremony indicated that students would be absorbed through structured quotas or mass recruitment intakes. Trainees will undergo rigorous performance evaluations during their probationary period, with high-performing individuals transitioned into permanent, full-time staff.

Meanwhile, Sentheyval has issued an open invitation to other corporate stakeholders and employers in the Momase region to partner with the institute to expand the program.