Sri Lanka is exploring the establishment of a national-level Talent Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) framework to strengthen youth employability by matching skills with industry requirements and employment opportunities.
The initiative was discussed at a meeting held at the Parliament complex on Tuesday (3), with the proposed framework aimed at enhancing the skills of young people and connecting them directly with leading industries and potential employers across the country. The proposed system is modelled on ‘YellowDots.ai’, a platform developed by India’s mySATHI Foundation, together with its associated skills assessment system. It is expected to be implemented in compliance with Sri Lanka’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), with all data stored locally and ownership retained by Sri Lanka.
Plans are also being considered to integrate the platform with the National Digital Identity system and the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) framework. As an initial step, it was proposed that the project be launched as a six-month pilot project, covering one or two districts, with a focus on the apparel and tourism sectors. The pilot project is expected to involve 10–20 leading investors and between 5,000 and 10,000 young people.
The discussion also examined the challenges faced in implementing the system in India, its technical requirements and the strategies needed to ensure its long-term sustainability. It was agreed to convene a broader stakeholder discussion in the coming weeks, involving the Ministry of Education, the Prime Minister’s Office and other relevant institutions. GovTech Sri Lanka is expected to provide support through its Skills Development and Industry Development divisions.
Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Engineer Eranga Weeraratne and Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr. Madhura Seneviratne attended the discussion, together with Chairman of the Future Kerala Mission and Chief Advisor to Jain University Professor Venu Rajamony, Career Launcher Chairperson and Chief Business Officer, and TalEvate Co-founder and CEO Sujatha Kshirsagar.
Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy Waruna Sri Dhanapala and several senior ministry officials were also present. The Deputy Ministers thanked the visiting delegation and agreed to take the initiative forward through further discussions and consultations in the coming weeks.
