10,000 NDT diplomates will play a key role in post war rebuilding​: Minister Bathiudeen

At least three of the current Sri Lankan Cabinet Ministers have passed out from the National Diploma in Technology (NDT) institute at Moratuwa and the NDT diplomates will be playing a key role in rebuilding our country in the aftermath of the war, said Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce on 26 March.

The Minister was addressing the first Annual General Meeting of the NDT Alumni held in Colombo. The Minister himself is a past diplomate of the NDT.

The NDT is now awarded through the Institute of Technology University of Moratuwa (ITUM). The NDT diploma holders are the link between the engineers and skilled workers in Civil Engineering.

“I am proud to belong to the NDT collective myself, graduating in the ’92-’93 batch of Civil Engineering. As I read this, many fond memories of my NDT days are flooding back, but too many to mention here! The NDT diploma holders are the link between the engineers and skilled workers in Civil Engineering. The NDT programme intends to produce personnel with required technological competencies to be employed in the Civil Engineering industry. Today, the total number of Moratuwa NDT diplomates exceeds 10,000” he said.

Minister Bathiudeen added: “The NDT diplomates will be playing a key role in rebuilding our country in the aftermath of the three decades of war. In fact, the post war era opens up a new challenge on the professional front—that is, to upgrade the engineers’ skills even further and become ‘entrepreneurial engineers of the future’, in par with latest technological developments. When it comes to the role of NDT diplomates in our country, I am delighted that at least three of our current cabinet Ministers are NDT qualified. Our senior NDT colleagues need to lead the way by encouraging younger colleagues to learn from modern innovations and become real practitioners of merit. Therefore we need to subscribe to as many international professional institutions which will enhance our recognition. To this end, we must ensure that the proposed Engineering Council will have sufficient and balanced NDT representation. I also encourage young NDT diplomates towards continuous professional development so that their career prospects are ensured. We also should scan for overseas employment opportunities and this needs to be secured as a collective group. Some of our diplomates are now successfully employed in Middle Eastern countries, New Zealand, Australia and even Canada.  

“I have no doubt that in this discipline there will be numerous challenges. We need to equip ourselves so that we are able to convert such challenges to viable opportunities. I am given to understand that there are two objectives in today’s NDT Students’ Forum meeting. The first objective being to discuss the contribution of NDT Students’ Forum when the Technology faculty shifts to the proposed new building at Kiriwaththuduwa and the second objective being the appointment of new board members for the Forum” the Minister said.

The NDT programme produces personnel with the required technological competencies to be employed in the Civil Engineering industry. The NDT programme dates back to Ceylon Technical College, Maradana established in 1893. In 1960, its programme was transferred to the Institute of Practical Technology (IPT) at Katubedda built with aid from the Government of Canada. The IPT was amalgamated with the Ceylon College of Technology, which was later established in the same premises, and in 1972 bacame the Katubedda Campus of the University of Ceylon. In the year 2000, the Institute of Technology, University of Moratuwa (ITUM) was formed by an Act of Parliament to exclusively conduct the NDT programme which was then transferred from the Faculty of Engineering.