A new skills training programme approved by the Sri Lankan government is expected to benefit more than 100,000 young people as the country seeks to address skills shortages and expand employment opportunities.
The programme follows the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) approval of a $100 million financing package for Sri Lanka on September 29.
It aims to address skills shortages that have made it difficult for businesses to recruit workers, while young people continue to face high unemployment.
Training institutions and employers will participate in the programme, which will introduce modernised courses and upgrade training facilities.
It will also expand opportunities for women to enter technical and other nontraditional occupations as Sri Lanka seeks to strengthen its economic recovery and competitiveness.
According to the ADB, $50 million of the financing will be provided through a regular loan, while another $50 million will come as a concessional loan. The bank will also provide a $500,000 technical assistance grant.
Difficulties in finding skilled workers
The need to better align training with labour market demands is underscored by the difficulties many employers face in finding workers with the skills required in a changing economy.
Despite the ongoing economic recovery, Sri Lanka continues to grapple with skills gaps in key sectors, high youth unemployment and low female labour force participation.
“A skilled workforce is essential to Sri Lanka’s long-term economic transformation and competitiveness,” ADB Country Director for Sri Lanka Shannon Cowlin said.
“This programme will help create stronger pathways from education to employment by making training more responsive to industry needs, expanding opportunities for young people and women, and ensuring that graduates have the skills required by a modern and evolving economy,” Cowlin said.
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More employer involvement
The programme will increase employer involvement through workplace-based learning and industry participation in trainee assessment and certification.
It will also introduce industry-aligned courses in priority sectors and strengthen mechanisms for private-sector engagement.
The programme will run from 2027 to 2031 and is aligned with Sri Lanka’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training Sector Strategic Framework 2026–2035.
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