Skilled worker shortage in construction field - Defence Secy

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

There is a shortage of skilled workers in the construction field due to it being given less recognition, said Defence Secretary and Urban Development Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa participating at the Construction Forum 2011 at Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo yesterday.

He said there are about 1,000 vacancies in the army for nurses. "The same situation prevailed in the hospitality trade. Proper training is essential to produce a quality workforce. In this context, the Youth Affairs and Skills Development Ministry is making a tremendous effort to produce skilled workers," Rajapaksa said.

Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amneties Minister Wimal Weerawansa said that out of about 341,000 students who entered Grade One classes, only about 21,500 students enter universities.

"Among them, only about 2,000 students qualify to enter engineering and other streams related to the construction field. But annually 200,000 youths join the rank of unemployed. This is not due to the shortage of job opportunities. There are plenty of job opportunities in the country. But most don't know the value of them," he said.

"All job seekers try to find a white collar job. This situation should be changed. As we all know masons, carpenters and other technicians get a good remuneration. As these vocations haven't received a good recognition, youths refuse to be technicians. It is important to change attitudes of the youth population. Artists and media have a big responsibility in this regard," he said.

Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said that the development of the construction filed of a country indicated the level of development of a country. "Sri Lanka is developing rapidly. The government has given a prominent place in the development drive for the construction sector. President Mahinda Rajapasksa has given a big responsibility to the Youth Affairs and Skills Development Ministry to produce skilled labour to meet the future demand in the construction field," he said.

"The ministry has recognized seven reasons for the skilled labour shortage. Government contribution for skills development is at a poor level. The situation has now changed. The government has allocated the largest amount of funds in history for the youth affairs and skills development sector," he said.

The minister said that his ministry has also taken measures to modernize the structure of vocational training. "The ministry has also taken measures to have a technical subjects stream for the Advanced Level examination. Last year, we received 270,000 foreign job opportunities for skilled labour. We could send only 71,000 as we didn't have enough skilled labour. It is necessary to have soft skills such as English language," Alahapperuma said.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed to produce skilled labour between the Vocational Training Authority (VTA) and National Construction Association of Sri Lanka (NCASL) at the construction forum. The MoU was signed by VTA chairman Dammika Hewapathirana and NCASL Chairman Priyantha Perera.

Youth Affairs and Skills Development Deputy Minister Duminda Dissanayake and Ministry Secretary S.S.Hewapathirana also participated.