Attempt to create a tech-savvy workforce Skills Sector and Technical Education to Drive Sri Lanka’s Growth

New students mingling together at the event 

Taking a step further, the government has made a budgetary allocation of LKR 220 million to establish a training centre in the Solar Park in Hambantota to train technicians in renewable energy.

In Sri Lanka’s renewed efforts to achieve a robust economic growth, and sustain a continuous development, the government has understood the need to build a skilled workforce equipped with the up-to-date knowledge, the technical know-how and the right attitudes. 

In this effort,  the Ministry of Education with its aligned ministries such as the Ministry of Technical Education led by Mr.  Nalin Hewage, the Deputy Minister Technical Education,  has taken a national initiative to revise the technical education in the country. The main aim of the initiative is to provide world class technical and vocational education to the youth of the country and build their competencies to be on par with global standards. 

The Ceylon German Technical Training Institute which functions under the Ministry of Technical Education with its legacy of 66 years comes to the forefront in this effort. The inauguration ceremony of the intake to the CGTTI for year 2025 took place at the technical college premises on the 15th of this month. ‘The Ceylon German Tech’ as it is popularly known welcomed six hundred and fifty  new students for the intake to its Moratuwa Technical College. The students had been selected to the programmes in the institute through a competitive examination where transparency of the entire selection process was guaranteed hundred percent. 

Also present at the occasion were the parents of the new students, whose blessings mingled with the congratulatory words of all the other participants at the event. The crowd was delighted to see the leaders of the technical education in Sri Lanka such as  Mr.  Nalin Hewage who graced the occasion as the chief guest. Also present were the Secretary to the Ministry of Education Mr. Nalaka Kaluwewa, the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Technical Education and the Director and Principal Mr. Gunadasa Samarasinghe, the Chairman of the Board of CGTTI Dr. Nanditha Hettiarachchi, and the CFO of the Ministry of Technical Education Mr. Priyangika Fernando. 

The inauguration of intake 2025

 In his speech Hon. Nalin Hewage elaborated the vision of the present government in building a Sri Lankan human capital which is well equipped with the skills and knowledge of the contemporary world. The guests of honour highlighted in their speeches the renewed efforts by the present government to give proper direction to the entire education system of the country through the newly proposed education reforms to align it With the constantly changing global knowledge and skills. 

Since coming into power, the Ministry of Education led by Dr. Harini Amarasooriya,  the Prime Minister and  Minister of Education,  has emphasised in her speech the need to identify the skills gap in the Sri Lankan workforce and to begin a new chapter in the country’s history where education and examinations should not be a burden to the students. In this effort,  the role that  technical education plays here in Sri Lanka and anywhere in the world is immense. It not only helps to skill  future generations with necessary technical knowledge and skills  but also prepares them to become a globally competent workforce capable of being employed anywhere in the world. The orientation: The newly recruited six hundred and fifty students will first be given an induction programme to the years-long training programme where all the Principal and the Heads of the institute talk about different aspects. These include an introductory speech by the Director-Principal about the specialty of the programme,  followed by an introduction by the Registrar on the fulltime and the part-time path. The Deputy Chief Engineer Training will provide an overview of the CGTTI training process while the Deputy Chief Engineer Curriculum will talk about the NVQ qualification process. 

As it is mandatory for the trainees to be aware of the disciplinary procedures of the institute and the facilities provided, the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee will provide  insights to the disciplinary procedures and  hostel and other facilities provided. The Section Head will deliver an introduction to the training programmes, and as drug prevention is of utmost importance, the Past Students’ Association representative will give an insightful speech on the importance of prevention of drug use. The orientation also includes a free dental clinic conducted by Link Natural Products, which shows the connection that the institute has with the industries in the country. Thus, the comprehensive orientation sets the stage for the newcomers to the institute for an enjoyable journey of learning and skills development. 

The story up to now 

The history of technical and vocational education in Sri Lanka goes back to decades and the large network of Technical Colleges and Training Centres across the island provide a professional path for the students to join the local and global work force within diverse fields from motor mechanism to latest fields like  robotics and green technology. The role that the Ceylon German Technical Training Institute plays is a unique one in the field,  providing a unique opportunity to  aspiring youth of the country to become knowledgeable and skilled in the diverse modern technical fields. Started from a grant from the government of Germany in the year 1959 primarily as  a school of  automobile and allied fields and  initially managed by a German Director, the institute has expanded immensely into newer fields of technical education and in terms of the number of centres it operates. 

As per the current figures the institute has a student population of 3300 across all its four centres. They are located in Moratuwa, Anamaduwa, Borella and one in Killinochchi in the north of the country which is called Sri Lanka German Technical Training Institute or SLGTTI. New Directions To ensure that the courses offered by the institute are up-to-date and modern, the institute has introduced several new directions, especially through the SLGTTI in Killinochchi. 

Chief guest Deputy Minister of Education Nalin Hewage

Established as an initiative to promote  post war reconciliation, the center in Kilinochchi is offering the opportunity for the youth in the north to learn about renewable energy and green energy, two areas which are much needed in the contemporary world to protect the environment. The training course offers knowledge of wind power, solar power, hydro power, and biomass. As the world now moves more towards these technologies in terms of vehicles and power generation, it is mandatory to have the technical know-how in the work force in the field for production, installation and maintenance purposes. SLGTTI in Kilinochchi serves the purpose of producing technicians who have the technical and knowledge expertise in the field. 

A step further 

Taking a step further, the government has made a budgetary allocation of LKR 220 million to establish a training centre in the Solar Park in Hambantota to train technicians in renewable energy. This will provide German dual training for the trainees who will have the competency to work in any corner of the global where renewable energy is gaining popularity and focus of the policy makers.

Employability

The main factor behind the success of the German Tech is the employability of its Diploma and certificate holders. The students who pass out will receive NVQ Level 04 and 05 qualifications which are on par with the international standards prescribed. As a result of international recognition of the qualification, the qualification holders up to now have been able to secure promising and well-rewarded employment in the industries in the country and worldwide. Its alumni are spread worldwide, serving in high-tech firms and industries. The institute without any doubt can boast about its contribution to the national skilled workforce and the economy. All the new initiatives clearly suggest, that the CGTTI or the German Tech as it is popularly known, is forward looking and adapting and is changing its role. 

Over the decades,   it has made  immense progress, and with the leadership of the present government the institute is widening its role and the service to the nation and its aspiring youth. A skilled workforce is the backbone of the developing economy, and the technical education apparatus of a country is its facilitator. Aligning with the new vision and proposed by the newly proposed educational reforms, the technical education system of Sri Lanka will promise a much-needed human capital for Sri Lanka and for the whole world. 

Dr. Samira Wijayasiri Director (Dean) Innovation, Humanities and Language NIBM. Is a researcher, Senior Consultant Lecturer / Trainer and Senior Academic and has been in the higher education sector for over 23 years. Academic qualification PhD / MA / BA English (Special)