Edex Expo - 2016:

Platform for school-to-work transition- Chairman, Edex

by Ananda Kannangara

The target of one million employment opportunities, announced by the Government at the beginning of last year cannot be achieved without the assistance of private sector entrepreneurs as they are the major job creators, Chairman, Edex, Kamal Abeysinghe said.

Abeysinghe was speaking at a media briefing at the Colombo Royal College Skills Development Centre on the forthcoming three-day Edex Expo - 2016 exhibition and job fair to be held at BMICH from Friday, January 22 to Sunday, January 24.

Edex is organized by the Royal College Union (RCU).

Abeysinghe said that although Government targetted one million employment opportunities during the next five years, nobody should expect all these jobs to be provided only by the public sector.

He said the annual Edex Expo exhibition is held to create awareness among the youth not only about local and international educational courses but also on how to be viable entrepreneurs and mentors who could generate employment.

Abeysinghe said Edex Expo 2016 will live up to its reputation to be a comprehensive platform offering choices in school to work transition, entrepreneurship and sustainability.

He said schoolchildren and youth who attend the exhibition will be educated on the importance of tertiary education after their secondary education which leads to gainful employment opportunities.

"Two main EDEX exhibitions are held by the RCU in Colombo and Kandy every year and these exhibitions and job fair act as a conduit between the seekers of 'right employment' and the 'right employers' and to bring together the demand and supply of employment opportunities under one roof," Abeysinghe said.

He said the Edex 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.

"Marginalized schoolchildren in rural and remote areas who lack equality in access to education will also benefit under the 'Edex - Nenapahana' education program," Abeysinghe said.

According to the organizers over 50,000 people including students visited the Edex exhibition last year and it annually empowers thousands of Sri Lankan youth to be globally competitive.

The exhibition and job fair will be open from 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. each day. The ceremonial opening will be on January 22 (Friday) at 9.00 a.m.He said this year's event will feature 400 stalls occupied by over 200 local and foreign universities and institutions from over 20 countries.

The Sunday Observer and the Daily News are the print media sponsors of the exhibition.

The next Edex exhibition will be held at the Kandy City Centre on January 26 and 27.Some of the sponsors of the Edex Expo-2016 are ESOFT, NIBM-NSBM, ANC Education, Royal Institute, Colombo, CIMA Sri Lanka, Horizon Campus, Dialog Axiata, Seylan Bank, Scottish Qualifications Authority, and University College Lanka.