Edex career guidance programs, a boon for AL students

by Rohana Jayalal

Of 230,000 schoolchildren who sit the GCE Advanced Level examination every year, only 25,000 are admitted to State universities and accordingly the career guidance programs, introduced by EDEX expo through local and foreign educational institutions will greatly benefit a large number of students who are not selected to universities, Project Chairman, Mid Year Expo 2015, Nadun Chandraratne told the gathering at the Edex Mid-Year Expo 2015 in Colombo.

The Edex Mid-Year Expo 2015, aimed at empowering Sri Lankan youth to be globally competitive in their school to work transition, will be held on September 5 and 6 (Friday and Saturday) at the Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre in Colombo.

Chairman, EDEX, Kamal Abeysinghe said that the third Mid Year Expo and Job Fair will become a conduit between the seekers of 'right employment' and the 'right employers' and bring together the demand and supply of employment opportunities under one roof.

The expo will also facilitate spot admissions to selected academic, vocational, technical and professional courses and post-graduate programs offered by local and foreign educational institutions.

The education platform will feature close to 200 stalls occupied by over 100 local and foreign universities and institutes from over 12 countries, represented directly or through their agents in Sri Lanka, offering placements and spot admissions in diverse disciplines.

EDEX Job Fair, endorsed and supported by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) will feature 40 stalls with scores of leading and sought after employer organisations showcasing job opportunities, to recruit suitably qualified youth, with desirable personal traits and skills.

The Job Fair endeavours to address the issues of unemployment and underemployment by creating a conducive environment where youth with potential and talent can directly meet potential employers of choice while assisting corporates to make use of the vast pool of talent to fill vacancies.

EDEX Expo is endorsed by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Higher Education and Research, State Ministry of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Skills Development and Vocational Training and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).