Financial Times

Veteran foreign employment agent pioneers …
A revolutionary skills training scheme
By Quintus Perera
Progress has been slow in Sri Lanka in changing the core concept of the educational system to what that would be job-oriented with vocational or skills training on various trades. However there is a kind of revolution in the making on the skills training of youth on various sectors with jobs being an additional bonus.

Suraj D. Dandeniya is President, Association of Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies in Sri Lanka and a veteran foreign employment agent - who has launched a skills training scheme that also quickly provides access to jobs to participants and removes the frustration of waiting long periods for a job after acquiring skills and often a certificate.

As an employment negotiator throughout his career he has encountered the desperation of the youth of this country and their hunger for some employment opportunity - which has not been adequately serviced by vocational training centres. These centres provide training and a certificate but thereafter getting a job is the most difficult part.

Dandeniya says he has observed the utter unrealistic relationship of the present educational and skills training systems where modern international techniques are almost none existent. As he is involved in the provision of jobs, he became more interested in the methods of training youth in skills.

He found that in the present skills training programmes in the country, apart from other disadvantages, there is a "criminal wastage of time energy and national resources embedded in the present system." Though a process that he has begun appears to be a pioneering one and a kind of revolution here, in other countries these methods are common. The process cuts down time drastically entailing the saving of energy and resources as Dandeniya's method takes only two months, whereas the conventional skills training methods followed in the country would go on even for three years.

"Youth are a force to be reckoned with. But the wrong and out-of-place training systems in operation is an utter waste of time and pushes them to deep frustration and isolation which ultimately causes panic and unrest," he said adding that for youth frustration leading to unrest, this solution is handy and tangible.

Youth skills training is absolutely necessary as there is tremendous job opportunities here and abroad for youth with skills training. Dandeniya said, "The numbers would multiply with the Tsunami work accelerating".

He said that there are many youth who have completed their 'O' Levels and 'A' Levels and they opt for even foreign labourer jobs. He hopes to enrol them and send them for the two-month skills training on various trades. Once the youth complete the training they are equipped to find jobs locally or outside the country. Dandeniya said, "They would be reluctant to acquire labourer jobs as such jobs would fetch only around Rs 10,000, but with the two month skills training the remuneration could be Rs 20,000."

Dandeniya embarked on this novel programme late last year and continues training in Panadura, Matale, Kurunegala, Mount Lavinia, Jaffna and Galle. The training programmes are conducted on a carefully structured syllabus in line with courses conducted by the 'City and Guilds Institute, London'. Dandeniya carries a license from the City & Guilds Institute.

He says he is on a strong footing in attracting more and more youth and opening up more and more training centres as he conducts an awareness and acquaintance programme through a popular television channel. Courses are available in Masonry, Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration. Within the two months period theory and practice are covered. There are no eligibility qualifications and any male over 18 years with or without any educational qualifications could register. The courses are full-time and board and lodging are provided. Character, spiritual and physical formations are also looked into, while there is also an extensive practical English course worked out.

The Sunday Times FT visited the Panadura Skills Training Centre run by the Suraj Dandeniya Foundation which specializes in the training of Air-conditioning and Refrigeration. "The centres are run under my name because I want to take responsibility for either the positive or negative developments from this process. If something goes wrong, we should be responsible and accountable. Either way, the public should know who is doing it," he said.

M M Anuruddha Jayatissa is a 20-year-old youth from Allawwa. "I viewed the television programme conducted by Mr Dandeniya and convinced myself that following such a skills training course would open up my future for opportunities. I have concluded the two-month course, here.

Now I am confident that I could obtain respectable employment in Sri Lanka or abroad. Though I have completed my 'A' levels, I could not get employed because everywhere I went they wanted experience in some trade. Now I am equipped with experience and I am guaranteed a job," he added.

Anura Kithsiri Fernando, 22, comes from Marawila. He has not only completed his 'A' Levels but also completed two parts in AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians), Diploma in International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Diploma in Information Technology and Certificate in Management (CIM).

He said that he intends to migrate to a western country and the Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Course at the "Suraj Dandeniya Skills Development Centre' (SDSKC), Panadura would be an excellent additional support for his eligibility."

N T Manoj Pradeep from Tangalle had completed his 'O' Levels in 2003 but was idling for about two years as he found it very hard to get a job. He said that he had followed a skills training course elsewhere for six months but the instructors were not effective. Comparing the two courses, he finds the SDSKC course to be far superior. "Now I am proud of my qualifications and I am certain of a job."

L. Aruna Roshan Kumara from Kuliyapitiya had failed to complete his 'O' Levels and was idling for five long years feeling completely depressed and frustrated. "My friends even rejected me. I was so frustrated and sick of life," he said until he took up this skills training course which has provided him some confidence for the future.

"I am very happy the way things are shaping up with my novel project. Already we have trained more than 300 and some are now working in abroad with better remuneration while the rest are gainfully employed locally," Dandeniya said.

At any given time now, more than 150 are undergoing training and his intention is to increase the number to more than 1,000. He has drawn up a long-term plan to embrace the entire country. He said, "Many are enlightened by the success of these programmes and a number of them have inquired as to how they could be helpful to me in this venture. I have drawn up elaborate plans and I would take it to the established corporate sector for assistance. I am hundred percent certain this would succeed since -- though the method is new to Sri Lanka - it is an internationally accepted practice."

Dandeniya said that similar programme are carried out in India but the difference is that in India the courses are directly conducted by the City & Guilds London, whereas here SDSDC itself conducts them at a nominal sum, under City & Guilds license, using the same course material.

He said that if a participant is unable to meet the course fee, arrangements are made for the trainee to pay back once he is employed. Dandeniya is also looking for financial institutions that would undertake paying the training course now and recovering the dues once the borrowers are employed.

He said that the City & Guilds certificate is recognized in 102 countries. The SDSDC programme fulfils the objectives of finding employment in Sri Lanka in the technical field, obtaining foreign employment, self-employment and employment with an accreditation (Degree or Diploma).

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