LIIN and WUSC initiate programme to empower rural youth
View(s):Every year nearly 500,000 youth sit the Ordinary Level (O/Ls) Examination and approximately 250,000 youth get through their O/Ls and qualify for the Advanced Level (A/Ls). Of this 100,000 pass their Advanced Level Examination with three passes, being the minimum qualification to qualify for university entry. However, only close to 25,000 of these students get selected for the university education.
In this context, there are nearly 475,000 youth who pass from O/L threshold every year. They are neither academically qualified nor vocationally skilled for employment available in the market. They often wonder what employment opportunities could be available to them, according to the organisers of new initiative to help such youth.
U IMPACT, a pioneering initiative of Lanka Impact Investing Network (LIIN) has been established and has brought together a network of Sri Lankan investors thus creating corporate engagement, partnerships and collaboration to create a sustainable framework for youth empowerment through vocational training and skills development.
The first of the pilot of U IMPACT was launched on September 28 in Hambantota in a collaborative corporate partnership with People’s Leasing & Finance Plc (PLC)), World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and Kawantissa Vocational Training Centre (KVTC) of Tissamaharama.
This collaborative corporate partnership between PLC, LIIN, WUSC and KVTC is an initiative with a long-term commitment to train and develop the skills of three deserving youth from the poorest of the poor families in Hambantota with a 1-year training course in automobile mechanics. PLC will provide financial assistance for three school leavers from Tissamaharama to complete their vocational training and on the job apprentice training at the service points of a subsidiary company with prospects for job placement.
Chandula Abeywickrema, Chairman of LIIN, said at the launch, “This is an important and timely commitment by PLC to partner on this project not as a one-off sponsorship but a greater commitment to youth empowerment through vocational training and skills development as a part of corporate sustainability strategy of PLC”.
He also appreciated the much greater engagement and commitment of WUSC to build capacity of vocational training in Sri Lanka and facilitating this pioneering pilot project.
Commenting on this initiative, WUSC Country Director Esther McIntosh said, “There is clearly a need for more manpower in key industries of the economy, and this initiative allows for a new generation of skilled young professionals to gain an opportunity to enter the sector. We need more financing models that support private training providers and students to increase the numbers they can train for industry.”
“Enterprise development and financial literacy is one of our key CSR areas and together with our subsidiary People’s Leasing Fleet Management Ltd with expertise in automobile mechanics, we are pleased to be involved in this initiative,” stated Laksanda Gunawardene, DGM – Marketing. PLC