More Potential Army Retirees Learn to be Tradesmen

Aimed at making their productive professional expertise available to society even after their retirement, potential Army retirees are now routinely educated on different trades, like plumbing, carpentry, electricity, masonry, IT software, etc as additional sources of income, following directions given by the Commander of the Army.

A project for this awareness that enables Army personnel to receive the well-recognized NVQ qualifications was conducted on Tuesday (21) at the Security Force Headquarters – East (SFHQ-E) in close collaboration with the National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) at Polonnaruwa.

Major General Santhusitha Pananwala, Commander, Security Forces - East during the inaugural occasion of the awareness programme, underlined the importance of this trade qualification for Army personnel planning to retire from service.

23 Officers and 25 Senior Non Commissioned Officers (SNCO) participated in the full day long awareness programme.

As at present, a considerable number of soldiers as tradesmen are employed for national development projects and their expertise has thus enabled them to draw additional incomes, in addition to their pensions and other benefits.

Mr. K.A.H Keenvinna, Training Officer, NAITA delivered relevant lectures during the awareness programme.

Their basic competence recognized through the NVQ certificate in the trade serves as an endorsement of their learning of the trade before they retire from the Army.

Mr. U.G.N Sameera, District Manager, NAITA was also present at the inaugural occasion of the awareness programme, along with several Senior Army Officers.