In his remarks, the High Commissioner noted that India had undertaken to implement projects to set up Vocational Training Centres in various parts of Sri Lanka under Indian grant assistance to help students to gain professional knowledge so as to gain meaningful employment and to encourage self-entrepreneurship.

He highlighted that VTC Nuwara Eliya was the fifth Vocational Training Centre set up with the support of the Government of India and would help students from the Central Province and adjoining areas to pursue training and build a career in vocational trade.

India had earlier supported setting up of VTCs at Hatton, Puttalam, Vantharamullai and Onthachimadam in Batticaloa. The High Commissioner encouraged students to avail scholarships offered by India, which had almost been trebled from this year.

With the handing over of the machinery and equipment, the VTC will start imparting vocational training to students in seven trades (Machine shop; Industrial and Domestic electrician; Electronics; Hardware and Networking; Information Technology Lab; Automobile and Aluminum Fabrication).