NDB's Jeevana promotes livelihood development in Trincomalee

The first batch of 23 students trained in Hotel Operations under the Jeevana Livelihood Development Program promoted by the NDB Bank passed out at a ceremony in Trincomalee recently.

Initiated in September 2010, the program endorses NDB Bank's commitment to national development with special emphasis on the North and East.

The newly passed out batch of 23 students with CEO of NDB Bank Russell de Mel and Principal of the International Hotel School of Mount Lavinia Hotel Mahendra Hulangamuwa.

The program, in collaboration with the International Hotel School of Mount Lavinia Hotel, proved to be a success in the Eastern town, where the hospitality trade has already indicated clear signals of resurgence and the dearth of skilled manpower continues to be an obstacle.

The ceremony also featured the launch of the second training session on Hotel Operations, where a batch of 32 students were enrolled to participate in the six-month comprehensive course, covering four months of theory followed by two months of practical training in star class hotels.

At the end of the 30-year conflict in Sri Lanka, the tourism industry was the first to benefit with increased numbers of tourists arriving in the country.

To cater to increasing numbers, the Ministry of Economic Development set a national goal to have 70,000 direct and indirect employees serving a target of 2.5 million tourists, set by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, by the year 2016.

In line with the tourism development goals, NDB Bank has initiated strides to serve the growing needs of employment on a national platform through its 'Jeevana' scheme.

Chief Executive Officer NDB Bank, Russell de Mel said, "At a time when tourism in Sri Lanka is well poised for a major uplift, NDB Bank's initiative will help to nurture youth in the East by creating an opportunity for them to find a vocation in the booming hospitality industry".

Upon completion of the course all students trained under the program had found employment in star class hotels. De Mel added that the continued need and the interest on the part of the eastern youth has prompted the Bank to extend the scheme to the second batch as well.

De Mel also extended a special word of appreciation to Mahendra Hulangamuwa, the Principal of the International Hotel School of Mount Lavinia Hotel, whose commitment and passion for training played a major role towards moulding fresh school leavers from the East to take up responsible positions in the hospitality trade. NDB Bank with its development banking roots has always placed specific emphasis towards the development of the nation and more particularly fostering entrepreneurship amongst the youth.

Under the Jeevana Livelihood Scheme, the Bank aims at identifying careers that play a vital role in the current development momentum and to enter into partnerships with industry leaders, to provide the academic and practical training which will enhance the potential of the youth to gain employment opportunities immediately after training.

In pursuance of this worthy national cause, the Bank had already commenced a similar program in motor mechanism in Jaffna, in partnership with DIMO and the second Program is to commence in Ampara shortly.

Another unique feature of the scheme is that in addition to the theoretical and practical vocational training in their selected future careers, the students were also drawn into the formal financial and banking sector, which for many of them and their families proved to be a novel experience.

De Mel said "This is our contribution to the nation since they are our leaders of the future."