The eighth Certificate Awarding Ceremony of the A.Y.S. Gnanam Construction Training Academy was held recently in Dambulla.  

The event saw the awarding of internationally and locally-recognized National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) certificates to 126 Sri Lanka Army personnel engaged in masonry craftsmanship.
Former Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) PLC HR and Administration Manager Gen. (Retd) Udayantha Wijerathna, the chief guest of the event, was joined by Saliyawewa Centre for Army Vocational Training Commandant Brigadier Randula Hathnagoda – RWD RSP, National Apprentices and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) Matale District Manager Janaka Ranaraja and Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission Assistant Director Bandara and representatives from the Tokyo Cement group.

Established in memory of Tokyo Cement Company Founder Chairman the late Deshamanya A.Y.S. Gnanam, the academy offers residential training programmes for both craftsmen already engaged in masonry as well as for school leavers, grooming them for the NVQ Level 3 certificate.  The certificate avails the trainees to local as well as international employment, opening up greater income opportunities. Hailed as one of the Tokyo Cement group’s foremost citizenship initiatives, the training academy, dedicated to masons and other construction professionals from all corners of the country, was set up in a bid to uplift the standards of the industry.

The academy situated in Dambulla comprises a fully-fledged auditorium, modern laboratory complex and practical training facilities inclusive of all tools and raw material required to conduct comprehensive training sessions that produce a well-rounded masonry professional. It also includes a dormitory complex that can accommodate 50 students, providing a conducive learning environment under the guidance of a qualified panel of instructors and visiting lecturers, to attain their formal training free of charge.

Guided by the late Deshamanya A.Y.S. Gnanam’s vision, the training academy since its inception has produced over 1000 trained construction craftsmen and accredited masonry professionals, many of whom are instrumental in reshaping the country’s infrastructural landscape while others bring invaluable foreign exchange from around the world through skilled employment.

Tokyo Cement has earned its reputation in Sri Lanka’s construction industry as the most trusted supplier of high-quality cement and concrete. Delivering superior products for projects that mark Sri Lanka’s growth, the company has cemented its legacy as a partner in nation building and is committed to raise the bar on quality and fortify its market position as a trailblazer. 

As the country sets forward with a wave of massive infrastructure development projects, skilled and most importantly certified construction craftsmen with a formal training, will remain one of the key deciding factors of the pace at which these projects are undertaken and executed.  

Having identified this requirement way ahead of its time, the A.Y.S. Gnanam Construction Training Academy has successfully achieved its mission to produce skilled and qualified professionals who are active participants in nation building.