Wednesday, 4 September 2013 00:00
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Singapore has taken steps to recruit skilled professionals from Sri Lanka to work in the country’s building and construction sector.
Last week, 20 young professionals who were chosen for employment after training were awarded certificates and air tickets to Singapore at a ceremony held at the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, under the patronage of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.
Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera predicted more employment opportunities for young professionals from Sri Lanka in Singapore’s flourishing construction industry.
He said talks were underway with employment agents in Singapore to obtain more opportunities for the Lankan construction sector skilled professionals. The workers chosen will be able to earn highly competitive salaries and perks he pointed out mentioning that the minimum salaries will not be less than Rs. 100,000.
Mentioning the importance of imparting specialised training for migrant worker aspirants the Minister pointed that such an approach by his ministry in recent times has helped tilt the balance in Sri Lanka’s favour when obtaining opportunities for skilled professionals in the top global employment markets.
He said not only in the construction sector, but the same method was been adopted by his ministry when training migrant workers for jobs in several other sectors as well.
The batch of 20 who will soon leave for Singapore, the minister pointed out, had been trained by Fonda Global Engineering.
On the invitation of local authorities, Fonda Global Engineering, a leading engineering and construction company from Singapore opened a training and testing centre situated in Katunayake last April. The aim of the initiative was to produce competent and highly skilled construction personnel in Sri Lanka, whose skills will be on par with the best in the world.
Those who undergo training and qualify through written exams and practical tests at the institution are eligible for the internationally accredited SEC(K) certificate, awarded by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore.
Those who obtain the certificate will be eligible to work in the construction sector in Singapore. The Skills Evaluation Certificate (Knowledge) (SEC(K)) scheme is an initiative to raise the skill levels and productivity of the construction workers and enhance safety in the construction sector
Singapore maintains very stringent quality standards hence any candidate who completes training and testing at the centre will have a valuable qualification that will open opportunities for employment both local and overseas.
The centre has been built under an agreement between Singapore and Sri Lanka and is the first such facility to be built in the country under the auspices of the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore.
During Tuesday’s ceremony Fonda Engineering and Deshakthi Employment agency which secured the job opportunities for the 20 youth were awarded mementos in recognition of their service.
