Hotel schools in all main cities

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

The Vocational Training Authority (VTA) will establish hotel schools in all main cities with the support of the Tourist Hotel Association with the objective of creating Sri Lanka's largest hotel school network by 2012 to produce more and more skilled labour for the hospitality industry, said a VTA official.

The tourism industry of the country is booming. Some leading companies in world tourism have come to Sri Lanka for investments. A large number of job opportunities will be generated in the hotel field.

So it is necessary to produce skilled labour to meet the demand. The Youth Affairs Ministry has a big responsibility to attend to this, he said.

As the main institution of the ministry, the Vocational Training Authority has already taken measures to develop training in the hotel field. The Ahangama Hotel School has been modernized and the construction of Weeravila and Bentota Hotel Schools are in their last stages.

Preliminary action has been taken to construct two hotel schools in Unawatuna and Ambalangoda. The VTA has reserved Pottuvil and Eravur Vocational Training Centres to produce skilled labour solely for the tourism industry. Two hotel schools were established in Inamaluwa and Maravilla Vocational Training Centres, said the Official.

He also said that there are 15 hotel schools in the country. The VTA has already taken measures to enhance the quality of training with the support of the Tourist Hotels Association.

The VTA will issue National Vocational Qualification certificates for experienced workers in the hotel field. About 157 tourist hotels have obtained the membership of the Tourist Hotels Association.