Vocational training for unemployed - Construction Minister

Unemployed youth will be trained in the technical and constuction field to enable them to enter the foreign job market, Construction and Engineering Services Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said.

There are over 400,000 persons in the construction field but they can not seek foreign employment as they do not possess proper accreditation. The Vocational Training Ministry is making arrangements to set up a vocational university which will enable them to obtain academic qualifications, the Minister said.

The Minister was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Eighth Vo-Tech Technical and Trade exhibition at Kalutara.

These exhibitions have been organised at Technical colleges in Beliatta, Monaragala, Warakapola, Dambulla, Kuliyapitiya, Ratnapura and Elpitiya on the instructions of Vocational and Technical Training Minister Piyasena Gamage.

"I am pleased to participate in the inauguration ceremony. The future of younger generation will be better.

Minister Gamage has already presented a Bill to set up a University of vocational technology to Parliament. He has also introduced the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) System," the Minister added.

The younger generation is reluctant to get into the construction field. The growth of the construction field last year was nine per cent. The Government's objective is to increase that upto 15 per cent, he said.

The institutions coming under my Ministry will be developed. Most countries promote technical education. It can be developed in Sri Lanka as well through these type of education. The seventh level of NVQ is the degree level. Most countries including Korea, Japan and England developed this method, Vocational and Technical Training Minister Piyasena Gamage said.

There are 38 technical colleges. There are five National Centres of the Vocational Training Authority (VTA), 18 district canters and 250 rural centres.

There are National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) and the National Institute of Business Management (NIBM). Those who obtain training from these institutions get employment. The objective of this exhibition is to create awareness for teachers and children in the technical field, he added.

Chairman NAITA, Amal Senalankadhikara, Chairman-VTA of Sri Lanka Major General Tilak Ponnamperuma and Vice Chairman of the VTA D. G. Dayaratne also spoke.