HIP and NAITA Partner to Skill up Hambantota youth

November, 20, 2019

The Hambantota International Port (HIP) entered into a partnership with the National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA), to provide training programmes for youth in areas adjacent to the port.  The program has been developed with a view to ready trainees for possible employment in port and allied industries.

NAITA is no stranger to the Hambantota International Port as their global partner CMPort has worked with them since 2012 for their Colombo operation CICT.  More than 80% of operations staff in CICT are young talent who entered the industry through the CMPort/NAITA partnership.

CMPort also signed a 3 year MOU with NAITA on 5th April 2017 which was facilitated through HIP. In this agreement, HIP and NAITA will provide vocational training in industrial areas related to Port Operations. Adding value to the partnership, CMPort would work towards uplifting NAITA’s training facilities, while NAITA would support the Hambantota International Port in keeping to the required standards in setting the training programmes and qualification certifications, etc.

Training programmes would be in basic firefighting, crane operating and general operations for 15 trainees per batch. 14 trainees successfully completed the first training program on “Basic Fire Fighting” recently. The best of the batch will be considered for employment at HIP, based on the Company's requirements.

“Caring for People and Planet are the main focus areas of our CSR and sustainable development program.  The training programmes with NAITA come under the scope of “Caring for people” as this would not only introduce port related vocational opportunities for youth from the region, but it would also increase their employability so they would be able to find jobs with organisations of their choice.  Trainees will receive certificates with local and international recognition,” says Ray Ren, CEO, Hambantota International Port Group (Pvt) Ltd.

The second intake of trainees is scheduled to begin in December 2019 and the scope will be expanded to start training for ‘crane operators’ and ‘operations assistants’.

 

 

Picture caption - HIPG management team and the NAITA officials with the students who completed the training successfully.