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Special Reports
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Milron Belo, a 24 year-old from
our partner country the Solomon
Islands, was among the 30 students
who came to Taiwan to participate in
the 2015 Vocational Training Project
for Youth in the Pacific. These young
trainees from South Pacific Islands
such as Kiribati, the Marshall Islands,
Nauru, and Palau attended three-
month training courses and received
professional instruction in three
disciplines: electrical and electronic
engineering, automotive mechanics
and woodwork.
Mi l ron , who i s ma j o r i ng i n
carpentry, is currently a college
student from Solomon Islands
National University. Passionate
about carpentry and dreaming of
a career in this sector, Milron used
his spare time to set up a workshop
selling handcrafted wooden items
in his community back home. When
asked how he came to know about
this project, Milron recalls hearing
about scholarship and agricultural
technology projects initiated by the
TaiwanICDF in the Solomon Islands
back when he was still a junior
high school student in 2008. “Every
junior high school student has heard
about the TaiwanICDF. I signed up
immediately when I knew there was a
project subsidizing students to learn
carpentry in Taiwan,” exclaims Milron.
Theoretical and practical
learning
The Vocational Training Project
f o r You t h i n t he Pac i f i c was
commissioned by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and implemented
jointly with the Taichung-Changhua-
Nantou Regional Branch of the
Ministr y of Labor’s Workforce
Deve l opmen t Agency. C l ass
lectures and group discussions
were arranged in the morning,
and hands-on practice sessions in
workshops were conducted in the
afternoon. Experienced instructors
provided on-site instruction, skillfully
using a five-step teaching model
involving preparation, instruction,
demonstration, practical training, and
assessment to train students in the
techniques. Lessons were adapted
to the level and cultural background
of individual students, thus providing
all participants with customized
courses that were both practical and
challenging.
D e s p i t e h a v i n g y e a r s o f
experience, Milron realized that he
still had great room for improvement.
For example, despite producing
simple sketches on paper prior to
any project, Milron did not know how
to use rulers or other professional
tools to transfer these designs onto
the actual wood materials. Many of
his completed works were misaligned
as a result. Having now undergone
professional training, Milron has
gained valuable experience in
carpentry tools and construction
techniques, as well as sophisticated
ideas for product marketing and
various innovative business models.
“I will bring back the techniques
I’ve learned in Taiwan to help provide
a better life for my family,” says Milron
with sparkling eyes. One can feel the
passion for woodwork from Milron.
This transfer of experience into the
heart of the Pacific has ignited a
life and future for a fellow youth and
helped foster a professional talent for
the country’s future.
Milron Belo, Student from the Vocational Training
Project for Youth in the Pacific
Bringing Taiwanese technologies home to
provide a better life for family members
2
Interview