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| Sunday, 1 May 2005 |
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Underprivileged youth - pilot project for jobs From Hiran H. Senewiratne in Kandy The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Central Province has launched a vocational training program for underprivileged youth as a pilot project at Wavinna in Wattegama in the Kandy district. The program is supported by the Livelihood Advancement Business School (LABS) of India and Plan Sri Lanka to train youth for employment to cater to the current job market,its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Wasantha Pamunuwa said. Under the project the youth will be trained in a selected field for four months and given a basic knowledge of English.The training institute conducts programs on hospitality industry, gem cutting, industrial sewing and front office management, he said. He said that they have already selected 120 youth in the Cental Province especially from the estate sector to bring them to the standard of employability. Pamunuwa also said that once they obtain the requisite training and skills they will be employed by Chamber members.These youth will also be subjected to constant monitoring and further training while on the job. This program will enhance the skills and knowledge of unemployed youth to help them seek employment in any part of the country. All instructors have been trained in India by LABS, the CEO said. The students will also be given a transport allowance, meals and course materials free until the program is completed, he said. The CEO said that based on the performance they will expand the pilot program to other areas, while increasing the number of programs. The CCI has negotiated with hotels, bakeries, garment factories and other enterprises to provide employment opportunities for trained youth. The CCI affiliated to the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) will promote this concept to other regions in the country, he said. The CCI is now in the process of supporting the SME sector in the region by bringing Banks and the borrowers into a common platform to obtain loans for them to move forward the sector in the region, he said. The CCI, the country's first regional business chamber in the country has two sections - Chamber Secretariat and the Business School.At present it has more than 2,000 members. |
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