This was his first meeting with the officials of his new ministry. The minister said that a main reason for the existence of unemployment in the country, was the lack of technical and vocational competence among the youth.

He stressed that in addition to the possession of O-Level or A-Level qualifications, an individual must posses vocational qualifications to attain employment in the modern competitive industrial world.He added that if someone possesses internationally-accepted technical or vocational qualifications, he would receive employment easily not only locally, but abroad as well.

However, today, most youth do not have such qualifications fitting for a job anywhere. Therefore, it is imperative that the intake to technical and vocational training institutions under his Ministry be immediately doubled and at the same time the courses of training be upgraded to international standards, he said.

That way, youth would be enabled to obtain well-paid employment opportunities even abroad, Minister Dr. Amunugama said. The minister directed that the said purpose was mandatory and should be carried out with the next intake of trainees scheduled for July, this year.