Since the pre-independence era, the special apprenticeship scheme existed in the public and private sector industries in Sri Lanka. Each organization followed its own schedule of training in disciplines applicable to their business. With the opening of the Ceylon Technical College, Special apprentices were given short theoretical courses to supplement their practical training. The Special Apprenti
ce Scheme continued in this manner until about 1975, when the National Apprenticeship Board (NAB) took over the functions. This resulted a radical change in the administration of the special apprenticeship scheme and a certain degree of uniformity in training functions of the apprentice. However, the scheme had been hampered by a severe dearth of essential training facilities. The establishment of the Institute of Engineering Technology - IET (Formerly : Technical Training Institute -TTI) Katunayake, stands veritably a land mark in Sri Lanka’s special apprenticeship, for it removed a grave obstacle by providing adequate facilities for such training. Institute of Engineering Technology (IET) Katunayake was established in 1985 as a result of Sri Lanka Government / ILO – UNDP project, with the objective of widening the country’s capability of providing engineering middle managerial level personnel to the industry in expanding economy. IET is the sole tertiary level institute, functioning under the National Apprenticeship and Industrial Training Authority (N A I T A) which offers a national level diploma. The four year National Diploma in Engineering Sciences (NDES) course offered at IET is principally designed based on “Dual System of training”. The course is of sand which type with alternate phases of theoretical instructions and industrial training. The academic component of the course is conducted at this institute and industrial training is imparted at recognized industrial establishment. The course provided nine (09) specialization’s under the three main disciplines of Engineering Civil, Electrical and Mechanical.
