Dearth of middle level engineers

There is a lack of middle level engineers, a research conducted by the Youth Affairs and Skills Development Ministry has revealed.

There are four engineering faculties at Peradeniya, Jaffna, Ruhuna and Moratuwa. Only 1,500 engineers pass out from these faculties annually and it is not enough according to the global standard ratio. These facts were revealed at a discussion centred on technical education plans for 2011 at the Ministry auditorium.

There are only four middle level engineers producing institutes in Sri Lanka and they are Sri Lanka Higher Technical institute, Katubadda National Technical Engineering Institute, Katunayake Higher Engineering Technical Institute and Ratmalana Technical College. They also provide only 1,500 engineers each year.

According to the Youth Affairs and Skills Development Ministry, middle level engineers are extremely vital for the proposed development plans in the next four years. Therefore Ministry must pay attention on increasing these technical institutes to eight and thereby increase the number of skilled workers to 100,000.

Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma and officials participated.