The Ministry of Industries has launched a programme aimed at providing employment opportunities in the private sector for young people who have completed rehabilitation for drug addiction.

The initiative will be implemented in collaboration with the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB), the Bureau of Rehabilitation, and the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC), with the objective of placing rehabilitated youth in permanent vocational employment after training.

A special discussion on the programme was held at the Ministry today (30) under the patronage of Industries Minister Sunil Handunneththi and the Secretary to the Ministry Thilaka Jayasundara.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister Handunneththi said the private industrial sector currently has more than 400,000 job vacancies, with a shortage of both skilled and unskilled workers. He noted that this gap has led some industries to recruit foreign labour from countries such as India and China.

He further stated that vacancies exist across several sectors, including construction, tiles and fittings, footwear, leather goods and automobile industries. The Minister instructed officials to implement a structured mechanism to channel rehabilitated youth into these sectors following appropriate vocational training.

Officials also noted that around 10,000 rehabilitated youth have already received vocational training in various fields. It was further revealed that approximately 800 individuals are rehabilitated annually through centres in Vavuniya, Senapura and Kandakadu, before being reintegrated into society with vocational skills.