Cement manufacturer, Insee Cement, recently renewed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Enterprise based Vocational Education (EVE) training centre and the National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA). The five-year agreement was signed at Insee Cement’s head office in Colombo.
Chief Executive Officer, Insee Cement, Nandana Ekanayake, said, “We take pride in empowering youth in the Puttalam area by giving them outstanding technical skills - a first step towards building independence and a sustainable livelihood.”
“This will enhance their educational levels, increase their employability and give them a stable career path. The initiative will help to develop future technicians for the nation. At Insee Cement we strongly believe in enriching the community particularly in areas where we do business,” he said.
The two-year program provides theory lessons for those who opt to benefit from the training and coaching provided by trainers from NAITA.
The students; hailing from diverse backgrounds, receive English language and lessons in Information Technology along with relevant subjects including pneumatics, hydraulics, lathe/milling and Auto CAD, in addition to the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) curriculum in their first year.
In the second year, full-time practical training is provided at the EVE Centre in the Puttalam Cement Plant.
The project was launched in 2012 and has benefited over 165 students.
The course is free and the trainees receive a monthly allowance.