NVQ certificates for masons and carpenters

Suraj A Bandara

The Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Ministry and Skills Development and the Youth Affairs Ministry in a joint venture to upgrade the quality of vocational training signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to offer National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) certificates to 14,000 masons and carpenters before 2014.

Carpenters and masons find difficulties in seeking foreign jobs due to the absence of internationally accepted local certificate on their proficiency. Both Ministries in a bid to address the issue, decided to issue this certificate to give them a recognition for their professional knowledge.

The overseas demand for masons and carpenters are on the increase and their performance has been a challenge to other countries. The MoU was signed between Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Jayarathne and Skills Development and Youth Affairs Ministry Secretary S S Hewapathirana at the Construction, Engineering Services Ministry recently.