Tantri-Mercy Education Campus launch industry-led skill development initiative

Tantri Trailers (Pvt.) Ltd, one of Sri Lanka’s leading industrial manufacturing companies, has entered into a strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Mercy Education Campus, Puttalam, to strengthen industry-aligned technical education and enhance youth employability across the country. 

The MoU was formally signed recently at the BMICH, in the presence of senior government representatives, industry leaders and education sector stakeholders.

The partnership aims to introduce over 100 structured, industry-led technical training programmes designed to bridge the widening skills gap faced by Sri Lanka’s manufacturing and industrial sectors. By aligning vocational education with real-world industrial requirements, the initiative seeks to create a sustainable pipeline of skilled technical workers while reducing reliance on foreign technical labour.

Tantri Trailers Managing Director Athula Haputantri said, “Sri Lanka’s industrial growth depends on how quickly we can build a skilled, job-ready technical workforce. Through this partnership with Mercy Education Campus, we are investing in practical, industry-relevant training that directly improves employability while strengthening national manufacturing capability. Our goal is to support young Sri Lankans to earn with dignity and help local industries access the talent they need to grow.”

At a time when Sri Lanka faces pressing challenges related to youth unemployment, workforce readiness and industrial productivity, the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to long-term national capacity building. The programmes will focus on practical, hands-on training, ensuring students are equipped with job-ready skills that meet current and future industry demands.

This MoU also aligns closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Through this partnership, Tantri Trailers and Mercy Education Campus aim to strengthen quality technical education, improve employability outcomes for local youth and support sustainable industrial development in Sri Lanka through meaningful industry-academia collaboration.