Project News

The Japan-Sri Lanka College of Technology (JSCoT) Project was represented at the recently concluded IVETA (International Vocational Education and Training Association) South Asian Regional Conference held from 19 to 21 August 2009 at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo.

The Conference, held for the first time in a South Asian Country and organized by the Department of Technical Education and Training (DTET) and the Ministry of Vocational and Technical Training (MVTT) around the theme of ‘Innovative TVET (Tertiary and Vocational Education and Training) Initiatives to Support Sustainable Economic Development and Poverty Reduction and the Role of TVET in Improving Social Equity’ saw the presentation of twenty-four technical papers and many speeches by leading TVET / VET educators, consultants and policymakers from Sri Lanka and abroad.

The two local consultants of the JSCoT Project, Subhani Nanayakkara (Career Guidance) and Azad Ibrahim (Know-How Dissemination) presented a paper each, while the third local consultant, Samantha Pathirathne (Industrial Relations) presented two papers, one of which, a joint paper presented in collaboration with a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) working with disabled women. Wijendra Gunatilleke, an instructor of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Section of the College also presented a paper.

The Acting Chief Advisor, the three local consultants, the Project Coordinating Manager (Kumar Goonewardene), Head of the Model Courses (J Ariyasinghe), two Course Coordinators (Rajeevi Guruge from ICT, N Rathnaweera from the Mechatronics), one instructor from the College and two instructors from the Metal Work Section were sponsored by the Project.

Commenting on the sponsorship, Hiroshi Saito, the Acting Chief Advisor of the Project said that ‘the Project is excited to sponsor the staff, as an international conference of this nature presents an excellent opportunity for our staff to network with their peers from the region and around the world and in sharing ideas and best-practices, the College stands to benefit a lot’.

The Technical Sessions and the Plenary Sessions were well-attended and the participants were taken on a field / study tour to a private-sector trade school.

In conjunction with the IVETA Conference, the College organized a 4-day exhibition and career fair that ran from 19 to 22 August at its premises in Maradana. Titled ‘Tec 115’, the objective of the exhibition and career was to celebrate one hundred and fifteen years of technical and vocational education in Sri Lanka (the SLCoT, successor to the Maradana Technical College, was the first technical college established in Sri Lanka in 1893) and to showcase the talent of its students and instructors.

The Career Guidance (CG) Unit of the College was the center of attraction of the exhibition as College students, school children, school leavers and parents crowded the CG stall to browse vacancies, speak to career guidance officers and obtain course information.

About IVETA:

Headquartered in the USA, IVETA is an organization and network of vocational educators, vocational skills training organizations, business and industrial firms, and other individuals and groups interested or involved in vocational education and training worldwide. IVETA is dedicated to the advancement and improvement of high-quality vocational education and training wherever it exists and wherever it is needed.

(Text: Azad Ibrahim- JSCoT Consultant (Know-How Dissemination)
(Photo: Hiroshi SAITO-Acting Chief Advisor)

Photo1(left):1st IVETA South Asian Regional Conference Opening Session
Photo2(right):Samantha Pathirathne (Industrial Relations) on His Presentation

Photo3(left):Azad Ibrahim (Know-How Dissemination) on His Presentation
Photo4(right):Subhani Nanayakkara (Career Guidance) on Her Presentation

Photo5(left):Wijendra Gunatilleke, Instructor of the ICT Section of the SL-CoT on Her Presentation
Photo6(right):Mr.Kenichi KOHATA, JICA Expert (National Enterprise Development Authority) on His Presentation

Photo7(left):Mr.N.R.R.K.Wijenayake, Director of SL-Cot with Foreign Delegation at Tec115 Exhibition
Photo8(right):CG unit stall of Tec 115 Exhibition