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High tech skills for Sri Lanka’s workforce

20 Oct 2011 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said today Sri Lanka should learn lessons from countries such as China, Russia and the United States and move forward by developing new ways of thinking, innovating, and training of the country’s work force if it was to move forward.

Addressing a ceremony to mark the opening of Sri Lanka’s first flight simulator training academy, the President said despite whatever challengers the country might face, our work force possessed the skills and talent necessary to compete with other nations.

“Economic problems may exist but we need to challenge ourselves and move forward. We already have a lot of talent. We must increase the number of skilled personnel,” the President said and urged the SriLankan Airlines staff and other aviation officials to work with commitment so as to increase productivity and strengthen the aviation sector to develop the country as an aviation hub.

“Some people made various accusations when I started Mihin Lanka. The purpose was to set up a budget airline for the country in tandem with our international airline to improve the aviation sector. And now we will work toward developing both airlines,” President Rajapaksa said.

The A320 flight simulator worth USD11 million is for aviation training undergone by pilots periodically. The flight simulator replicates an actual cockpit where pilots experience real life-like flight situations such as turbulence and crash landings.

Sri Lankan Airlines Chairman Nishantha Wickremasinghe said before the flight simulator was set up, SriLankan suffered an immense loss of foreign revenue as pilots were sent abroad regularly for training. But in future the new flight simulator system will cut down and the outflow of foreign currency by some 50 percent.

“Annually it cost USD1.2 million to train A320 pilots and USD4 million to train A340 pilots. However now we shall increase the in-flow of revenue as we intend to attract foreign pilots for training as well,” Mr. Wickremasinghe said. (Olindhi Jayasundere)

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High tech skills for Sri Lanka’s workforce

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