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The Vivekananda Vocational Centre is a "Quality Vocational Centre" designated by the Ministry of Education, Fiji. It was established in 1981 by the Ramakrishna Mission with the aim of providing skill-training courses for non-academic students, or Secondary School dropouts. The idea and fore-sight of Swami Rudranandaji to put up an institution of this nature gained a lot of support from general public and the government. It was officially inaugurated on 29th May 1981 by Hon. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, the then Prime Minister of Fiji. The name of the centre was changed in 2010 from Nawaicoba Vocational Centre to Vivekananda Vocational Centre.

At the beginning the school offered courses in Carpentry and Joinery, Agriculture and Automotive Engineering. It began with 51 students for these three courses. However, this was reduced to less than half in 1984 when the dormitory and two classrooms were blown off by cyclone Oscar. The students then were accommodated in the dining hall that became the make-shift dormitory. Further drop in the student roll forced the closure of Carpentry and Joinery program.

The institution suffered further when almost all senior teaching staff including 2 Peace Corps volunteers resigned and left for overseas countries after the military coup in 1987. The institution somehow managed to survive on two teaching staff and only a few students. This struggle for survival continued up till 1990. It was only after 1990 that the school began to experience gradual increase in its student roll for its only program (Automotive Mechanic). It wasn’t until 1992 and onwards that the school began to re-establish itself as a major provider of vocational education in the country after it received financial assistance from Canada - Aid – Fund for reconstruction of the School dormitory.

In the year 2001 the school re-introduced the Carpentry and Joinery program and in 2002 it began to offer Catering and Food production program. This was the first time girls were introduced to any vocational program at this institution. Between 2000 and 2009, the Centre opened up doors for 3 new programs. The number of teaching staff increased from 2 to 6 and the student roll jumped from 28 to well around 80.

Currently the school offers fully MoE accredited courses in all major disciplines. Students appear for exams of Training and Productivity Authority of Fiji and Fiji Institute of Technology. These are all internationally recognized institutions.