Two-hundred youth from across Sri Lanka completed the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) – Nursing Care training program, marking a significant step towards better job opportunities locally and abroad.
The most recent cohort of 55 students received their certificates at a ceremony held in Kandy, with Japan’s Ambassador Isomata Akio as the chief guest, with the participation of Second Secretary, Embassy of Japan Inoue Hiroki, Director, ILO Country Office for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Joni Simpson and officials from National Youth Services Council (NYSC).
This milestone marks the completion of the training of several batches of students from Kandy, Matara, Kurunegala and Pandura. The program, conducted by the National Youth Services Council, together with Youth and the International Labour Organization (ILO), empowers youth with critical skills for Japan’s growing nursing care sector.
The SSW Program offers a unique opportunity for skilled foreign nationals, including Sri Lankans, to access decent work in one of Japan’s most in-demand industries.
Sri Lankans can benefit from employment in 16 sectors, including nursing care. While Japan has a set ample quota for nursing care professional from Sri Lanka, only a small segment of the quota has been filled, leaving significant potential for further expansion.
Isomata Akio said, “Japan and Sri Lanka share a long and incredible history of strong cooperation between our two nations and peoples. The Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) program provides an exceptional opportunity for youth to contribute to Sri Lanka and Japan, while advancing their aspirations. To fully benefit from this opportunity, I encourage young people to continuously improve yourself, refine your skills, including your Japanese language proficiency, and strive for ongoing personal and professional growth.”
Migration has long been a key avenue of employment generation and foreign remittances for Sri Lanka. However, many of those migrating face challenges due to lack of awareness and failure to acquire skills and qualifications that would ensure decent employment opportunities overseas.
With the rising demand for care professionals in Japan, ILO’s UPLIFT project is increasing employability and access to labour markets through skills enhancement and work-based learning in the care sector.
ILO Country Office for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Simpson said, “In the recent years, with the pandemic and the economic crisis, youth have faced numerous setbacks in finding employment opportunities.
The Nursing Care Specified Skilled Worker Program establishes a critical pathway to securing decent work in the global care workforce. This training program is timely and critical, not only in terms of much needed jobs, skills, and safe migration for Sri Lankan youth, but also for addressing the global demand for paid care services and contributing to gender equality at work.”
