School of Engineers Gifted with New Vocational Training Centre at Thunkama

The Army School of Engineers at Thunkama, Embilipitiya turning a new leaf in its training modules, had its most modern Vocational Training Centre established in the premises during a brief ceremony, held on Monday (22).

Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe, Colonel Commandant of Sri Lanka Engineers as the Chief Guest at the invitation of Lieutenant Colonel Waruna Gamage, Commandant at School of Engineers opened the new centre after unveiling a plaque amid chanting of ‘Seth Pirith’.

A Guard Turn Out saluted the day’s Chief Guest on arrival before he was conducted to the newly-established Vocational Training Centre building complex.

The project, a novel concept proposed by the Engineer Brigade Commander, Brigadier Amith Seneviratne under the guidance of Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe, Colonel Commandant, SLE with full blessings of the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake received technical support from Sri Lanka Vocational Training Authority through the Army Engineer Brigade.

Those state of the art training centre extracts untapped potential of those Army personnel who are to be employed in the nation-building and other peripheral tasks.

A preliminary discussion on preparation of the curricula and other practical modalities that should be put into practice were also discussed at the same venue in Thunkama before the ceremonial opening.

Senior SLE Officers, Commanding Officers, Officials from Vocational Training Authority (Construction & Training) and Additional Director Training and a few other state officials attended the inaugural ceremony.

Attendees from the Vocational Training Authority assured the Army of its fullest cooperation and promised to award the internationally-recognized NVQ certificate to the trainees upon completion of their training, expected to begin shortly.

Under the scheme, all Army Engineers are able to receive specific training as they wished in a wide variety of trades.

Meanwhile, the award of National Vocational Qualification - Level 2 and 3 (NVQ-Level 2 & 3) certificate to 96 Army soldiers who successfully completed the Construction Craftsmanship course, conducted by the Sri Lanka Vocational Authority took place on the same day (22) during a separate ceremony.