CCI-HWK Vocational Training Improvement Project
CCI to Upgrade Vocational Training with German Chamber of Skilled Crafts
The Chamber of Construction Industry of Sri Lanka and the Chamber of Skilled Crafts of Frankfort – Rhein – Main of Germany have entered into a partnership project “ CCI – HWK Vocational Training Improvement Project” for the improvement of vocational training, in particular in the construction sector.
The Chamber of Skilled Crafts Frankfurt – Rhein – Main- represents more than 32,000 entrepreneurs and 153,000 craftsmen from the Frankfurt – Rhein – Main metropolitan region. As a corporation under public law, it offers its members a wide range of support services – from setting up a business to corporate succession. These tasks are laid down by law in the Craft Code. Apart from this the Chamber offer other exciting services in the area of training and further education, but also in advice and in the representation of interests.
This project aims to improve the training skills of the present vocational trainers in the selected construction trades. It will targets the trainers both in the public and private sectors over the project duration from 2023-2025.
In addition the project will attempt to improve the social & cultural image of construction craftsmen thereby creating a better appeal to school leavers to undergo vocational training in construction trades. It would additionally attempt to improve the training modules in construction trades where necessary considering the international trends
The construction skills targeted to improve under the project are as give given below .
i. Masonry ii. Carpenter iii. Tiler iv. Electrician v. Plumber vi. Barbender vii. Painter viii. HVAC Technician ix. Construction Equipment Operator x. Gas & Arc Welder xi. Solar Photo Voltaic Technician xii. Aluminum Fabricator
The Project aims to upgrade minimum 100 trainers ( ie 50 from vocational institutes and 50 from construction companies) in the afore said skills.
The selection criteria for the trainers to be upgraded by this project are,
i. Age 30 -50 years ii. Teaching experience – minimum 5 years in the relevant skill iii. Shall have obtained NVQ 4 in the relevant vocational skill iv. Competency in English language v. Construction industry working experience up to 5 years preferred
The training duration for each module will be upto 2 weeks. The training will be provided free.
As a first step a German master craftsman Mr. Peter Kriese arrived in the island in mid July to understand the situation of construction crafts and training in Sri Lanka and extensively visited training facilities and also discussed issues with trainers in the industry. Consequent to his visit a report was prepared about his findings particularly about the courses tobe undertaken.
The trade of Welding was chosen to commence with and an International master craftsman would arrive in early September to conduct a module in welding for two weeks from the 4th September to the 17th September. This would be conducted at the Industrial Engineering Training Institute ( IETI ) located at Katubedda , Moratuwa.
Thereafter it is envisaged that construction skills such as Water proofing of buildings would be up skilled for Trainers. This might be a new course which is presently touched upon cursorily by the Tertiary Vocation Education Commission (TVEC) curricula and may involve curriculum development.
The German Crafts Council ( HWK ) is keen that the Green Economy is given an important place and a photo voltaic course for electricians maybe implemented . The German Partner has recognized the need for Dry Wall cladding etc.
This project would span three years from 2023 t0 2025 ( with both years included) and would be in a 3 step process with short duration modules building up to the latest knowledge in the various trades being imparted by this program.
CCI-HWK Vocational Training Improvement Project
The first training of trainers course under the partnership program between the German Crafts Council ( HWK ) and The Chamber of Construction Industry of Sri Lanka ( CCI ) took off with an advanced training course for welding instructors chosen from colleges of technical education and supervisors from private sector at the industrial engineering training institute Katubedde (IETI) under the aegis of NAITA. This immersion course was conducted between the 4th September and 15th September 2023.
A German master welder associated with the crafts chamber was sent by HWK for this purpose. There were also two field visits to Colombo dockyard and the Atomic Energy Authority within the ambit of this course.
16 participants with a minimum qualification of NVQ 4 were selected to represent this class with 9 participants from the public sector vocational training institutes Island wide and 7 from the private sector represented by Colombo dockyard and CCI member companies.
The course was on both theory and practice with an emphasis on the practical. Amongst the modules were advanced welding techniques, pipe welding techniques, aluminum and steel welding, welding automation, quality controls in welds, reading and interpretation of workshop drawings, performing mig, mag welding etc.
Finally there was an evaluation of and feedback from participants for further improvement of the training programs.
