Labour Ministry launches vocational training programme

P.P.G. Sugathadasa, Thihagoda group correspondent

THIHAGODA: The Ministry of Labour Relations and Foreign Employment has initiated measures to commence vocational training programmes in the tsunami affected districts in Sri Lanka.

The proposed training workshops have already been started in tsunami hit Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Baticaloa and Ampara districts in the island registration of at least 10,000 job aspirants, direction of 5000 of them towards employment bureaus and job societies and engaging one thousand of them in short-term and in service vocational and skills training schemes are to be done under the project, Mrs. Wimali Rathnayake, Southern Regional Manageress, Jobs Net, Matara told the Daily News.

Each trainee would be given a monthly allowance of Rs. 3500 during the course of the training period by the Jobs Net. In addition, Rs. 20,000 would be paid to the institute providing specific training to them by the Jobs Net, she said.

Women those who are over 40 years of age and disabled persons interesting in undergoing job training would also be considered. International Labour Organisation and the Swedish International Aid Agency furnish funds for these programmes, she said.

Directing tsunami hit unemployed young men, women and other people towards direct, indirect and self-employment avenues would be the main aim of this endeavour, Southern Provincial Manageress, Jobs Net of the Ministry of Labour Relations and Foreign Employment told the "Daily News."