Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Monday, 28 June 2021 00:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Government has embarked on a national program to prepare 100,000 youth with high vocational skills to meet the demands of 25 different professions abroad.
The program is jointly implemented by the Ministry of Labour and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). The IOM has agreed to provide the training free of charge.
A special discussion in this regard was held recently under the patronage of Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, IOM Head of Sri Lanka and Maldives Sarat Dash, Labour Ministry Secretary Mapa Pathirana, Foreign Employment Promotion Ministry Secretary S. Arumeinayagam, and a group of officials were present at the occasion. Minister de Silva emphasised that these training courses should be started within the next three months, targeting at least 5,000 workers in 10 selected professions as its initial project. “Vocational training and work experience should be provided and the existing training curricula should be revised to suit the labour demand in foreign countries,” he said. Granting approval for the issuance of a certificate at the end of the training program, the Minister also requested to make this certification internationally recognised beyond the NVQ level.
He pointed out that first language training should be given to those who successfully complete the training
The Minister also stressed the need to provide security, higher fixed salaries and higher benefits insurance cover to those migrant workers.
IOM Migration Governance Head Shantha Kulasekara said that there is a high demand for 40,000 highly skilled housewives and around 60,000 for other professions in foreign countries.
He pointed out that those with language experience have the advantage when it comes to securing job opportunities.
