Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka

IT-Business process outsourcing career fairs fare well in outstations
An IT – Business Process Outsourcing fair conducted by the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka and the Education Ministry at Mahinda College, Galle Friday and Saturday has evinced remarkable enthusiasm.

The first of its kind to be conducted jointly by the Information and Communication Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) and the Ministry of Education outside Colombo the fair drew large crowds including students from 27 schools in the Galle district. Responding to a call for cooperation for conducting fairs in eight districts namely Anuradhapura, Badulla, Galle, Hambanthota, Kandy, Kurunegala, Matara and Ratnapura extended at the IT Business Process Outsourcing Career Guidance Fairs launch held last November the IT-BPO industry too supported the fair. During the two-day fair in Galle this support was articulated, inter alia, by 22 volunteers from 18 IT-BPO firms attending the fair at their own expense.

Counselling to implicit or explicit IT-BPO career enthusiasts was given by a Ministry of Education career counsellor along with a representative from the IT-BPO industry and taking a role in counseling along with a Ministry of Education career counsellor. In addition, several IT-BPO companies also had set up stalls at the fair which with their presentations and videos gave an awareness of the industry and enabled the students to get an understanding of what companies were in the industry and what kind of training they should possess to launch into this sector.

A group of students registering to take part in the career  guidance fair held at Mahinda College,Galle (13-14 March, 2009).

Referring to the Information Technology Business Process Outsourcing career guidance fairs being held in the districts, ICTA’s Chief Operating Officer Deshan Dewapura said: "In the case of well-known careers like those of doctors, engineers, accountants there are many groups to advise the children but in the case of careers in Information Technology Business Process Outsourcing there is no one to provide the necessary guidance. So it is up to the Government to do so.

ICTA as the apex body for national ICT policy and direction has taken up the responsibility of creating this awareness among the villagers as part of its effort to bring ICT solutions under ‘e-SriLanka’ to make the people’s lives more comfortable. We are grateful that many have contributed to this effort, the lion’s share in this contribution being from the Ministry of Education".

Programme Manager, Private Sector Development, ICTA, Fayaz Hudah said that there was positive feedback from the students and teachers who accompanied them at the fair.
The next such fair will be held at Sujata Vidyalaya in Matara tomorrow (21).

Speaking in reference to the remaining six similar fairs Fayaz said many IT-BPO industry volunteers are needed to make presentations and provide career counselling. ICTA invites the IT-BPO industry to join hands in taking IT-BPO awareness around the country by visiting the regional career fairs website, www.futureisit.lk where they can pledge their support.

http://www.island.lk/2009/03/21/business7.html