“When I came home with my poor O/L results my father asked me what I would do with my life now? He actually gave up on me. It was my mother who stood by me, pushed me and supported me when I decided to apply for the John Keells Vocational Training programme last year. Now I’m working in the kitchen department at Cinnamon Red as a permanent employee and I would like to thank John Keells Foundation for giving me this golden opportunity and for helping me build my career”. This was Bhanuka Dananjaya’s sharing at the parents’ briefing on the Vocational Training Programme organized by John Keells Foundation (JKF) on 29th March 2018 at Al Iqbal MV.

The Vocational Training Programme targets students of Government schools of Colombo 02 and 03 who drop out of higher education after the Ordinary Level Examination. It is designed to give these youth an opportunity to gain experience working at John Keells businesses such as the City Hotels and supermarkets with the aim of empowering them by providing them with skill based training that would enhance their future livelihoods.

JKF organized the Parents’ Briefing targeting post- O/L students of the neighborhood schools and their parents prior to enlisting the new batch of potential vocational trainees. The briefing was conducted with the support of representatives from the hotel and supermarket sectors.