Creating a techno savvy workforce

Ruwanthi Abeyakoon

THE Economy is changing rapidly due to globalisation. The mismatch between the industries that come up and the skilled workers is a common issue. The Sri Lankan Government has taken comprehensive measures to create a workforce to suit the situation.

The Department of Technical Education and Training (DTET) has taken several steps to strengthen technical education in the country.

The first Institution for formal technical education in Sri Lanka was established in 1893. Then known as the Government Technical School the institution was housed in a renovated coffee store close to the Ceylon Government Railway Terminal building at Maradana.

The Institution consisted, of a small workshop, laboratory, lecture room and a classroom and the student enrollment of the first batch was only 25.

The Technical School later became the pioneering institution for science education in Sri Lanka. In 1906 the Technical school was changed to Ceylon Technical College.

By this time the college had started supplying technically competent people and was providing skilled workers to Government technical departments.

Metal work training unit

Mechatronics training

ICT training at the technical College

Facilities to develop Technical Education in Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering fields and also in Telegraphy, Surveying, Chemistry and Physics were provided.

The first junior Technical School was established in Galle in 1957. This was a significant year for Technical Education as Sinhala medium courses were introduced. These courses commenced with certificate courses in shorthand, typewriting and book keeping.

By 1963 even the Diploma courses were conducted in Sinhala medium. Significant feature of the growth of Technical College system is that, 31 out of 32 Technical Institutes have been established after the independence of Sri Lanka, in particular from 1956 to 1998.

At present there are 37 Technical Colleges scattered throughout Sri Lanka. These institutions are managed by the Department of Technical Education and Training, which functions under the Ministry of Skills Development, Vocational and Technical Education.

In order to facilitate smooth functioning of administrative and academic aspects of the system, the entire structure has been divided into four Zones. The colleges in each zone have been brought under the supervision of a Zonal director.

The total strength of teaching staff of the Technical colleges is around 810. The non-academic staff of Technical Colleges consists of about 900 persons.

Members of the academic staff are continuously exposed to local and foreign training to update and upgrade their knowledge and skills in the relevant subject areas. UK, Sweden, Netherlands, Japan, Korea, Philippines and India are some of the countries where staff training has been provided.

The UNDP, the British Council, ILO, and JICA, have been providing funds to most of the scholarships. The CPSC has provided short-term workshops/seminars and in country courses to technical college staff.

The Department of Technical Education and Training (DTET) offers a comprehensive Vocational and Technical Education to youth.

It has promoted a Technical College (TC) in each province to a college of Technology (CoT) which carries out the Diploma Courses.

CoT’s diploma courses are applied to National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) levels 5 and 6 and aim at fostering technicians which are in high demand in local and foreign industries.

JICA has provided assistance, as one of its cordial assistance towards the country, to Sri Lanka CoT in Maradana, Colombo in the development of three model courses such as Mechatronics, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Metal Technology through the Project for the establishment of Japan-Sri Lanka College of Technology (JSCoT).

Director General, DTET, Dr. H. L. Obeysekera said they will not only implement training courses but will also be a closely linked with the industries.

“Technical Colleges were conducting six months to one-year certificate courses which were not adequate to seek reasonably good employment but the three-year degree program offered at the new university will be new to the country’s technical education,” he said.

“Students seeking entrance to the technical university will have to complete the National Vocational Quality (NVQ) system level 1 and 2 at the Vocational Training Authority, level 3 and 4 at the technical college, 5 and 6 at the College of Technology and gain two years industrial experience,” he added.

He said there was no mid career Technical Training in the technical set up but there was a huge demand in the industry for technicians in various professions.

“At present mid career training will be provided through the Colleges of Technology in each province. The Technical Colleges will be restructured and improved to provide scope for students to enhance their career,” Obeysekera added.

“Two-year diploma courses such as mechatronics combining mechanical and electronic engineering, metal technology for all types of welding, boat repairing and manufacturing technology, food technology and ICT are the new courses introduced to cater the industry needs,” he said.

He noted that the economy moves with the service sector and the local industry will be upgraded through technical colleges. “We are working with international experts to improve quality of technical education. The facilities will be modernized.

The German Technical Cooperation also assists in post tsunami rehabilitation. In addition to skills development project they assist in infrastructure development, capacity building and disaster risk management,” Obeysekera said.