Smart Trends Int’l Lanka signs MoU with Vocational Training Authority
Dato Dr. Emmanuel Benson Chairman and CEO of Smart Trends International Lanka, Azhar bin Mat, Acting High Commissioner of Malaysia to Sri Lanka, Chandima Weerakkody, Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training, Eng. Dr. Lionel Pinto, Chairman, Vocational Training Authority Sri Lanka and Thilak Kariyawasam (Attorney at Law), Vice Chairman, Vocational Training Authority exchange the MoU.
Smart Trends International Lanka entered into a strategic partnership with the Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka to offer the UK awarding body, NCFE’s globally recognized certified courses in Sri Lanka.
The MoU was signed in the presence of the Chandima Weerakkody, Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training Sri Lanka.
Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka Chairman Eng. (Dr) Lionel Pinto and Dato Dr. Emmanuel Benson, the Group Chairman and CEO of Smart Trends International signed on behalf of their respective organizations.
NCFE is a national awarding organization, passionate about designing, developing and certifying high quality, nationally recognized qualifications and awards. These qualifications contribute to the success of millions of learners at all levels, bringing them closer to fulfilling their personal goals. Last year alone, over 340,000 learners from over 2,000 colleges, schools and training organizations chose NCFE as the awarding organization to help them move their careers forward. ( https://www.ncfe.org.uk/about-ncfe/ ).
Chairman and CEO Dato Dr. Emmanuel Benson of Smart Trends International Lanka said, “It is a significant and memorable milestone for Smart Trends International Lanka to be given the honour to partner with the Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka in this strategic partnership.”
“This will include a process, whereby Smart Trends International and NCFE will identify and train a master-trainer who will then conduct the train-the-trainers programme in Sri Lanka, with a con-current programme for independent assessors”.
“Furthermore, we are confident that these courses will allow Sri Lankans to up-skill and up-scale their vocational expertise, thereby allowing them to be highly employable not only within Sri Lanka but within the regional and global construction industry, where their expertise will be in much demand in the long run,” added Dr. Benson.
Besides NCFE, specific training programmes will also be endorsed and certified by the Industrial Training Institute of Kuala Lumpur, the oldest vocational training institute in Malaysia, founded in 1964.
Smart Trends International Lanka will build a dedicated custom-built Scaffolding Training facility and simulated training and test area with six purpose-built scaffolds. Besides the above, training facilities with class room and management offices will also be opened concurrently.
The Level-1 Scaffolding course will be spread over ten days and offer insights into scaffolding; from duties and responsibilities to scaffolding materials used and types, practical theory and on-site training to safety issues and a 3-4-part assessment.
The VTA (Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka) was established with the intent of providing skills for employment by the Manpower Division, which is the training arm of the Labour Department that was running Technical and Vocational Education, as well as training programmes in many parts of Sri Lanka.