Eleven Graduate to IT Jobs in U.S.-Supported Training
COLOMBO, March 30, 2006—Eleven Information Technology (IT) students graduated last night from students to full time workers in Sri Lanka’s IT industry thanks to a United States supported program at the Information Technology Faculty of the University of Moratuwa. The students completed an innovative and intensive four-month training program designed to put non-technical graduates on the fast track to jobs in the IT sector.
Eleven Information Technology (IT) students graduated last night from students to full time workers in Sri Lanka’s IT industry thanks to a United States supported program at the Information Technology Faculty of the University of Moratuwa. The students completed an innovative and intensive four-month training program designed to put non-technical graduates on the fast track to jobs in the IT sector.
The Rapid Information Technology Conversion program, sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), offers unemployed graduates in other fields more marketable job skills through four months of fast-paced training in computer programming, web design, networking and business skills. At the end of the classroom and laboratory training, qualifying students were placed in internships with leading IT firms.
“This is a much needed program,” said Dr. Ajith Madurapperuma, Dean of the Faculty of Information Technology. “These graduates can boost their careers by entering a well-paid profession that will continue to provide employment opportunities for years into the future.”
In 2004, IT employment rose in Sri Lanka by 30 percent, and female employment in the sector grew to 22 percent. According to a recent survey, the employment demand for IT graduates was 4,300 people in 2005, but the supply of graduates reached only 3,600 qualified people.
Dr. Mark Sorensen, USAID’s new Workforce Development Advisor, explained that the program was designed to be as comprehensive as possible and focused on helping students understand the type of performance employers are looking for, as well as marketing themselves successfully.
“Soft skills are sometimes as important as technical expertise in making our students employable and upwardly mobile,” Sorenson said.
The program’s unique design makes preparing a non-technical graduate for an IT career in just four months feasible. Faculty received special training in active instruction techniques to increase the impact of every hour of instruction. Extensive use of hands-on projects, mentoring by professionals from the IT field, and internships with IT firms also helped students take the big step into high paying IT jobs.
All eleven graduates have been hired for full-time employment in the IT sector.
Several leading IT corporations offered partial corporate sponsorships to students, including Microsoft, 24x7, Virtusa Corporation, Millennium IT, IFS, hSenid Software, The Computer Centre, eComtec, Eurocenter and Parcel House.
The USAID Workforce Development Program develops and supports training initiatives for unemployed O-level, A-level, and university graduates, emphasizing programs that teach skills in English and communications, IT, and soft skills such as self-marketing, problem solving, teamwork, and creativity.