Project News

Director of SLCoT Mr.W.M.C. Bandara giving his speech in the Session
Photo: Hiroshi Saito-Acting Chief Advisor

Sri Lanka College of Technology (SLCoT) has commenced its Industry Liaison Committee (ILC) as an innovative step to formulate new Technical Committees (TCs) with the technical assistance and guidance from JSCoT Project. SLCoT had an issue to organize its TCs regularly during recent pass, mainly due to the existing TCs have been formulated with the focus of development of model courses (ICT, Mechatronics and Metal Work) and some of the leadership issues. However, with the appointment of the new Director for SLCoT, he has taken positive measures to first commence ILC and then formulate new TCs with a new composition to cater the growing demands of the industry.

The first ILC meeting was held on 10th March 2010 from 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. at the Conference Hall, Department of Technical Education and Training (DTET). The senior representatives from Ministry of Industrial Development (MID), Export Development Board (EDB), Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL), Microsoft Sri Lanka, Matrix (Pvt) Ltd., FDK Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., Director, Heads of Departments, Course Coordinators of the SLCoT and the Acting Chief Advisor, Project Coordinating Manager and 3 local Consultants of the JSCoT project attended this meeting. In addition Ms. Tomoko Tamura also attended as an observer (who is a representative of the JSCoT project final evaluation team).

There was a short presentation on win-win-win (students- SLCoT- Industry) industrial relations which was developed based on technical inputs provided by Japan short term expert (Mr.Nakano) on industrial relations. This was done by JSCoT project consultant on industrial relations. It was a good framework recognizes the critical importance of win-win-win industrial relations for the SLCoT.

Participants involving active discussion
Photo: Hiroshi Saito-Acting Chief Advisor

ILC meeting discussion was very useful for SLCoT to decide its future strategies to form new TCs since all participants gave their commitment to link more industrialists for this purpose. Therefore, though, the number of participation was quite law the outcome and the potential hopes of the future was very high in this meeting. Specially FCCISL, MID and EDB clearly expressed the critical importance of the effort of the SLCoT and committed their contribution and the partnership for the future activities of the SLCoT to form new TCs.

In addition to that there was a very good dialog was initiated on the importance of the development of the correct attitude of students to suit more to private sector culture. This was pointed out by most of the industry participants and highly acknowledged by the SLCoT. In this regard the importance of the career guidance programme also discussed.

Director SLCoT has taken measure with the commitment to schedule next ILC meeting and to form new TCs in the next meeting with the participation of more industrialists with the direct support and partnership from the FCCISL, MID, EDB and selected key industrialists.

Director SLCoT concluded that he will take all possible measures with his staff to ensure the establishment of win- win- wins industrial relations with priority and commitment through ILC, and new TCs. In addition he announced that some of the participants for this meeting will be absorbed to the proposed Advisory Council of the SLCoT as recognition for the industry partnership.

Report: Samantha Pathiratne-JSCoT Consultant (Industrial Relations)