Urgent Need to Revive Welding Skills: Proposal for National Advisory Board 🛠️

A formal proposal has been submitted to the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Skills Development, warning of an "alarming decline" in the quality of welders from Sri Lanka's vocational training institutes. • The decline severely handicaps key local sectors including manufacturing, construction, and marine engineering, forcing industries to import welders from countries like India and China. • Despite global demand, only about 5% of graduates from national institutions are deemed competent for foreign job markets (UK, South Korea, Japan, Middle East). • This represents a major national economic loss: the initial salary for a skilled welder is around US$ 2,500/month, significantly higher than the average salary for unskilled foreign employment (~$400/month). • The core issue stems from insufficient practical training, weak assessment systems, and a lack of alignment with international standards (e.g., ISO 9606, AWS). • Way Forward: The proposal calls for the urgent establishment of a National Advisory Board for Welding Technology to: 1. Reform curricula and align training to international qualifications. 2. Design a mandatory national apprenticeship framework in collaboration with industry. 3. Facilitate global partnerships (e.g., TWI UK) to boost quality, generate foreign exchange, and restore industry confidence.