Women in Tech Sri Lanka has extended its technology education and career guidance programme to Trincomalee, running two sessions for students in the eastern district as part of an effort to reach young people outside Colombo, according to an account of the visit published by Colombo Gazette.
The visit was led by Sanali Kaushalya, the organisation’s Country Director. The sessions covered emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, innovation, leadership, career development and the future of work.
Two campuses
The first session was held with the Faculty Career Guidance Cell of the Faculty of Applied Science at the Trincomalee Campus of Eastern University Sri Lanka, bringing together final-year students from the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Physical Science.
The discussions dealt with how academic study translates into employment and how students should prepare for a job market increasingly shaped by technology.
A second session took place at ESOFT Metro Campus Trincomalee, covering career development, emerging technologies and the skills employers are looking for.
The argument being made
Kaushalya told students that a degree marks the start of a technology career rather than its qualification, and that graduates need to keep building technical knowledge alongside communication, adaptability, creativity, problem-solving and professional networking to stay competitive.
The organisation said the sessions underlined how much ability and ambition exists outside the capital, and that what is missing is access — to industry exposure, mentorship and professional networks rather than to talent.
“Empowerment cannot remain concentrated in Colombo. We need to ensure that young people across Sri Lanka have the opportunity to learn, connect, develop and lead,” Kaushalya said.
Women in Tech Sri Lanka said it intends to build continuing links between students, industry and employers rather than run standalone events, arguing that wider access to technology education would produce a more geographically diverse technology sector.
The account of the visit was supplied by the organisation, and no date was given for the sessions.
