VTA | Overview

Overview of VTA

Our Vision

To enrich lives through globally competent employments.

Our Mission

To be the most dynamic and Innovative Vocational Education, training and service provider in Sri Lanka.

Our Objectives

Formulation and providing vocational training programs to youth and make them competent with various trades.
Provide accessibility to youth by establishing vocational training centers in rural areas.
Conduct trainer training programs to deliver the vocational training effectively and efficiently.
Conduct competency based assessments / final assessments, issue National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) certificates and other certificates.
Provide career guidance and counselling to school leavers and other youth.

Values

Flexibility to change
Align with skill needs
Striving to achieve excellence
Being responsible and accountable at all levels
Commitment to highest Quality and Integrity
Team Spirit
Being honest,punctual and sensitive to humanitarian concerns
Being committed to continuous growth towards satisfaction for trainees and other stakeholders

Functions

Provide vocational training to students by conducting vocational training programs through island-wide centres.
Conduct trade tests, final assessments and issue National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) certificates through TVEC.
Conduct various research programs on vocational training.
Conduct career guidance and counselling programs.
Conduct trainer training programs to deliver the vocational training efficiently and effectively.
Facilitate the youth who have undergone vocational training to engaged with employment opportunities or to start their own business.

The Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka(VTA) was established on 16th August 1995 under the provisions of the Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka Act No.12 of 1995.It was a concept of His Excellency the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he was the Hon. Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training. VTA was established with the intent to provide skills for employment. The Manpower Division, the training arm of Labor Department which was running Technical and Vocational training programs in many parts of Sri Lanka, this was converted to the newly constitute Vocational Training Authority (VTA) making vocational training more accessible to rural youth and depressed segments in the country.

The key intention behind establishing the VTA was to reach the rural mass of the country which was 72% of the total population, and make them to be skillful to find employment opportunities both locally and internationally. The the Board of Directors representing various ministries assigned with specific subjects areas, i.e., youth affairs, education, industrial development, finance and labor including the corporate sector.

This diversified representation at the board level leads to fruitful dialogue infusing wealth of knowledge and experience by them in their own fields. The chairman of the board is also the Chief Executive officer of VTA by virtue of the act while serving as the Commission member for Tertiary and Vocational and Education Commission (TVEC) and the University of Vocational Technology(UNIVOTEC), the most important entities established under the purview of the Ministery of Education as of today, the VTA is operating as the largest vocational training network with 174 Vocational Training Centres (VTC), 22 District Vocational Training Centers (DVTC) and 8 National Vocational Training Institutes (NVTI), which was previously had just 31 Vocational Training Centres in 1995. Approximately, 35,000 youth get trained annually in 95 different full-time courses in 19 various trade sectors. When completing the training, youth are directed for local and foreign employment opportunities. Further, students are also eligible to apply for financial assistance scheme called "SEPI" to provide loans for those who intend to start self employment.