Sri Lanka’s construction sector is taking a direct swing at a long-standing problem on jobsites: skilled tradespeople doing quality work without any formal, shared standard to prove it.
The Chamber of Construction Industry of Sri Lanka and Siam City Cement (Lanka) PLC, operating as INSEE Cement, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 13 July 2026 to train 100 masons toward National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) certification in the masonry trade.
According to the organizations, more than 80% of tradesmen working at construction project sites have no skills certification. That gap leaves crews and owners without common benchmarks for workmanship, even when the craft knowledge is strong. The new program uses Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), a certification route designed for workers who learned on the job instead of through formal trade school. In Sri Lanka, that path commonly starts as helpers to Baas Unnahas, building real skills through site experience.
For contractors, the biggest takeaway is consistency. NVQ certification is positioned as a way to bring tradespeople under a single standard for work norms and quality expectations, while also creating clearer lanes for career progression. It also gives workers a nationally recognized credential that supports overseas employment and stronger negotiating power on pay and terms.
INSEE Cement is backing the program by providing facilities in Galle, Puttalam, and Colombo, along with tools, consumable materials, and training premises at no charge. The initiative is co-sponsored by the HWK Chamber of Skilled Crafts Frankfurt-Rhine-Main, which is serving as the training partner for the Chamber of Construction Industry of Sri Lanka.
Read the full, original article from Daily FT here.