BY RAMANI Kangaraarachchi

"Tharuna Aruna 11" program aims to provide 10,000 employment opportunities to unemployed graduates in the private sector during the next five years.

The Tharuna Aruna Institue(TAI)will find 2000 employment opportunities this year and 82 jobs have already been given. The TAI targets 6000 graduate registrations for this year and 1345 of them have already been registered.

This was revealed by the CEO of TAI Sam Stembo at the inauguration of Provincial Mobile Registration Day held at the Ministry of Skills Development Vocational and Technical Education at Narahenpita on Thursday.

Stembo said that the primary goal of the program is to focus the interest of unemployed graduates towards private sector employment.

"The period of work experience and training is for a maximum period of 12 months where they will receive a minimum salary of Rs. 6000. Graduates are also given opportunities to follow training programs in IT and English that would enhance their confidence levels to face the challenges in the private sector.

The program also plans to strengthen the bond between the Sri Lankan graduates and the private sector and use talents and capabilities of graduates for the growth and development of the private sector," he said.

The minister of Skills Development and Technical Education Piyasena Gamage said that the graduates should not expect government jobs in the future as there will not be any vacancies but there will be plenty of opportunities available in the private sector.

"It is a matter of getting adjusted to face the challenge through hard work ,dedication and proving their capabilities," the Minister said.