INSEE Cement to empower masons across Sri Lanka through skill and knowledge development sessions

Tuesday, 1 May 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

INSEE Cement has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Enterprise Development Authority (NEDA), in a bid to further advance Sri Lanka’s construction industry standards through the development of skill, knowledge and craftsmanship of masons islandwide.

As the foremost cement manufacturer in the country, INSEE Cement’s unique portfolio of high performing retail and industrial products include Sri Lanka’s pioneering Portland limestone blended cement INSEE Sanstha, the most recognised and highly demanded cement in the country today, as well as Sri Lanka’s pioneering Fly Ash based blended cementINSEE Extra, also the first cement brand to receive the Sulphate Resisting SLS certification.

The company has been in the forefront of driving transformation across the construction industry in Sri Lanka by empowering key stakeholder groups such as engineers and technical officers, supporting capacity development through the dissemination of information and expertise.

With the signing of this agreement, INSEE Cement will partner with NEDA to conduct full-day knowledge sharing sessions over the course of this year across 45 locations in Sri Lanka identified by NEDA, each session with the participation of 100 masons. As a market leader with industry knowledge and expertise accumulated over five decades of operation, INSEE will provide top resource personnel with up-to-date insight and information with the objective of accelerating the progress of the local labour force towards proficient masonry levels.

This highly promising public-private partnership was formalised between INSEE Cement’s Sri Lankan corporate unit – Siam City Cement (Lanka) Ltd. and the National Enterprise Development Authority, in the presence of the Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen. “One of the key challenges we are addressing currently in the local construction industry is the skilled labour shortage,” stated INSEE Cement Executive Vice President and Commercial Director Jan Kunigk. “We are proactively identifying all critical stakeholder groups and are implementing sustainable capacity development and training programs, especially the masons who form the backbone of the local construction industry. Our objective is not only to up-skill them, but to ensure that they utilise this new skill and knowledge to empower themselves and enrich their own livelihoods and living standards, thereby strengthening the industry and contributing to the economic stability of Sri Lanka.”

National Enterprise Development Authority Chairman/Director General Omar Kamil added, “We are thrilled to be part of a great initiative in partnership with INSEE Cement, to create awareness of the crucial role masons play in the construction industry, and upgrading their standards to advance the industry further. We look forward to collaborate with INSEE Cement in the future, to continue this revolutionary journey.”