LAUGFS and the National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) partnered to strengthen skills and competencies of frontline staff in the Petroleum Retailing, Supermarket Retailing and Vehicle Care Services sectors. Under the partnership, hundreds of frontline service staff will have the opportunity to gain a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) through NAITA, elevating the value of service sector professionals while significantly enhancing their employability both locally and internationally.
Additionally, a new NVQ program was introduced for Customer Service Assistants (CSAs) in the Petroleum Retailing Industry to help strengthen the industry service standards. Partnering with NAITA and other stakeholders, LAUGFS Petroleum played a pivotal role in the development of the new industry-specific NVQ by sharing their industry expertise and insights. The program will benefit thousands of employees in years to come, and set a new benchmark in Sri Lanka’s Petroleum Retailing Industry.
Commenting on the partnership, NAITA Chairman, Mr. Shehan Seneviratne remarked, “The significance of this partnership between LAUGFS and NAITA is in the scale of impact this can have in enhancing the skill levels of service sector professionals in multiple industries, thereby elevating the value of our local professionals. The NVQ programs developed by NAITA follow stringent standards to ensure that our local professionals will have the opportunity to elevate their skill sets to a level that is internationally competitive. These are highly recognized programs developed to effectively cater to the requirements of specific industries, thereby delivering greater value.” The NVQ programs will consist of industrial and institutional training under the supervision of NAITA to serve specific industry needs. These programs will cover a range of critical areas from service excellence to health and safety standards, enabling a comprehensive certification for the Petroleum Retailing, Supermarket Retailing and Vehicle Care Services sectors. Based on a standard framework of competencies that encompass industry-specific skills, attitudes and knowledge, these NVQ certifications will be highly recognized at both national and international levels, adding significant value to local service sector professionals.
“As a homegrown diversified conglomerate, our constant focus is on elevating the local industry standards. This partnership with NAITA will have a remarkable impact on uplifting knowledge and competency levels of service professionals in multiple industries,” commented LAUGFS Holdings Chairman, Mr. W.K.H.Wegapitiya. “This will add distinct value to our frontline colleagues by creating opportunities for further career progression. This is also an important initiative taken to improve the quality of service standards offered by our retail businesses, further reinforcing our commitment to safeguard the trust our customers have placed in us,” he elaborated.
LAUGFS’ retail operations in Petroleum, Supermarket and Vehicle Care Services sectors engage thousands of customers through various product and service offerings, resulting in the initiation of a number of key programs to strengthen the customer service focus.
These NVQ programs initiated in partnership with NAITA is also part of its robust employee recognition and development program, which is in place to elevate employee skill profiles and create career progression opportunities. The NVQ certification programs by NAITA will benefit hundreds of professionals by strengthening their skills levels with an internationally recognized qualification, thereby creating opportunities for career advancement.
Commenting on its significance, LAUGFS Holdings Group Managing Director, Mr. Thilak De Silva, remarked, “At LAUGFS, we always believe that our strength is our people. Our colleagues work tirelessly everyday enabling us to deliver constant value to our customers, which helps us to differentiate our service delivery standards. These NVQ programs will provide them with the opportunity to enhance their skill levels with a qualification recognized not only in Sri Lanka, but internationally as well, adding significant value to their career. It will also enable these important service sector to gain the recognition they truly deserve for the vital roles they play within organizations.”
As a part of this partnership, the NVQ Level 3 certification programs will be introduced to Service Crew Member Staff at LAUGFS Car Care, while NVQ Level 3 and 4 programs will be rolled out at LAUGFS Supermarkets for their Customer Service Associates, Cashiers and Bakers. Developed by NAITA, these programs are in place to help enhance industry-specific skills of service professionals in the Vehicle Care Service and Supermarket Retailing sectors.
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