WUSC to share lessons, achievements of skills for employment model

• Move aimed at helping Sri Lanka reduce labour shortages 

The Advancing Specialising Skills for Economic Transformation (ASSET) Project of World University Service of Canada (WUSC), which has developed more than 300 private sector partnerships resulting in more than 4,000 employment opportunities for youth, will hold its annual meeting of the Advisory Committee Plus (PAC+) on Wednesday, 28 November at Cinnamon Lakeside.

This year’s event will not only comprise of direct project partners but also include other stakeholders involved in youth skills for employment projects across north, north west, south and east Sri Lanka. In total, more than one hundred agencies and partners including members of the private sector, INGOs and donors are expected to attend this event. The five-year ASSET Project funded by the Government of Canada which commenced in 2014 focuses on strengthening partnerships and collaboration between the private sector, Government and training institutions. Using this model of planning for human resources, the project has placed more than 4,000 young men and women in employment. 

Working in collaboration with the Sri Lankan Ministry of Skills Development and Vocational Training (MSDVT), the Project provided vocational training and building of both their technical and soft skills required, especially in the fields of tourism and hospitality; information and communication technology; construction; and automotive maintenance, where there is a significant labour shortage.

Through its intentional focus on youth, including bridging women, youth affected by conflict and persons with disabilities, into the workplace, the project also supported the National Skills Sector Development Program – which aims to create a more inclusive skills development system for the country by 2020 – through improving linkages between private sector, government and training providers.

At the PAC+ event, WUSC plans to share the lessons learnt, achievements and policy recommendations with national level agencies and also share the results from their discussions at the regional labs held in the south, east and north of the country.

WUSC has been delivering development programs in Sri Lanka since 1989 through income generation and vocational training project which has evolved into initiatives that have improved the skills and well-being of thousands of Sri Lankans across the country.