New training facility in Tissamaharama targeting youth in hospitality industry
Saturday, 2 November 2013 00:00
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The Speaker of Parliament Chamal Rajapakse has inaugurated a new training facility at the Kawanthissa Vocational Training Centre, Tissamaharama which aims to provide professional training in the hospitality industry for youth. Minister of Youth and Vocational Training Dallas Alahapperuma also attended the event.
The new training facility is a result of a joint project between Diageo Asia Pacific, CARE International Sri Lanka, Jetwing Hotels and the Sri Kawanathissa Vocational Training Centre, Tissamaharama.
CARE Program Director Nalaka Siriwardena said: “The new training facility will provide conducive training environment for youth including women to develop skills in the hospitality industry.”
Diageo Country Manager Sujeewa Jayamanne said: “The partnership is an exciting collaboration between industry and the community to empower our young responsible adults.”
“It is important to develop this kind of facilities in the rural areas, so that youth can easily access to the training,” Jetwing Hotels HR Manager Kanchana Nanayakara.
Diageo through its community program ‘Plan W’ has invested more than $ 90,000 in the project. The 12-month program aims to train and groom 200 youth and women from marginalised communities in the Southern Province to become employed in the rapidly expanding hospitality industry of the country.
The new training facility is comprised of a state-of-the-art training kitchen, training restaurants and model hotel rooms which will help to deliver international level training to reach industrial requirements. Two-thirds of people in the hospitality industry are women globally, according to the International Labour Organisation, however women are underrepresented in the sector in Sri Lanka.
Plan W
Eighty-seven youth have been employed at the newly built Jetwing Yala, after completing a six-month training program and obtaining the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) certificate.
Plan W is a regional program designed and implemented by Diageo in the Asia Pacific and its partners empower women through learning.
The program, which was launched in 2012, aims to reach women of all socio-economic profiles through training and skills development to empower two million women in 17 countries in the Asia-Pacific over five years.
Under Plan W, Diageo will empower two million women in 17 countries in Asia-Pacific by 2017.
Various activities will reach women in at least 17 Asia Pacific markets reaching Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, beer and wine categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan’s, Windsor and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Jose Cuervo, Tanqueray and Guinness.
Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE).
