David Pieris Group empowers northern women in mechanical training

Women mechanics who completed the program,with toolkits 

Producing skilled female labour and encouraging active participation of women in the economy of the nation, the David Pieris Group successfully concluded another mechanical training program in Jaffna recently.

The women who completed the program titled ‘Empowering Women Through Technical Training’ received a NVQ (National Vocational Qualifications) Level 01 certificate and comprehensive 02 toolkits at the awards ceremony held at the North Gate Hotel, Jaffna.

Twenty women from the Northern Province including the Jaffna, Mannar, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya Districts participated in this program.

This program was initiated by the David Pieris Group in association with the Sri Lanka Women’s Bureau under the Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment in 2017 and is the first and only mechanic based technical program exclusively targeting women.

David Pieris Motor Company Ltd. Chief Marketing Officer Samantha Silva said: “This initiative will provide the technical training required to attend to any type of repair related to three-wheelers with the ultimate goal of creating trained, certified women mechanics, especially in the Northern Province which has an increased percentage of women led families and communities post three decades of civil war.”

The candidates for the program were selected in collaboration with the DPMC Dealer network in the Northern Province. Upon completing the theory segment of the technical training, the candidates had the opportunity of attending to practical repair work at DPMC service dealers in their respective areas in order to gain necessary and valuable hands- on experience. At the conclusion of the programme subject to a final assessment, they were certified as mechanics.

Staying true to its responsibility towards the community and positively impacting people’s lives, seven technical training program have been conducted so far by Sri Lanka’s automotive leader David Pieris Group in Kalutara, Polonnaruwa, Kilinochchi, Anuradhapura, Moneragala, Matara and Jaffna Districts with the participation of 423 women. Over 160 women have passed out as certified mechanics of which six have started spare part dealerships, while 17 others have found permanent employment with the DPMC authorised service dealers. Several others have been successful in setting up private garages at their own localities.