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| Sunday, 28 March 2004 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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How to make students more employable after graduation? The Sri Lanka Ceramics Council (SLACC) sponsored a 2-day workshop titled "Confidence through Core Competencies" for students participating in the 6-month industrial training programme launched in January jointly by the SLACC with the Department of Materials Engineering and Industrial Training Division in the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Moratuwa. Sunil Wijesinha (President - SLACC) encouraged the students to have an inquiring mind and to make the most to learn the business. He related his experiences in foreign cultures where students at an early age were encouraged to question why certain things happen in a certain way, thus adding to their learning curve. On behalf of the SLACC, Wijesinha presented to the students, several copies of "The Essential Manager's Manual" - a comprehensive book detailing interview, communication, inter-personal and other skills required to be an effective employee in any organisation. The students could use this during their 6-month training period and return it to the University of Moratuwa, Department of Materials Engineering, to benefit successive batches of students who would undergo the industrial training programme in the ceramics sector. Stefan Moraes (MD - 3rd Wave Consulting Pvt. Ltd.) conducted the 2-day workshop and took the students through several simulations to disseminate powerful messages that could be applied in their workplace in the future. They were taught the effectiveness of teamwork in achieving extraordinary results, importance of leadership. They were also taught to appreciate constructive criticism and made to understand that the difference between ordinary and extraordinary performance was that extraordinary performers were aware of their shortcomings. A part of the programme dealt on the art of effective speaking and self-expression and the difference between hearing and listening. Another part of the programme dealt with how to maximise the return on time, both on an individual and team oriented environment. To tie the lessons learned on teamwork, leadership, communication and inter-personal skills learned through the 2-day workshop, the students were subjected to a simulated situation where the competencies learned had to be applied to arrive at a winning solution. Another half-a-day workshop will be arranged by the SLACC for the students in May and, their performance with regard to the competencies inculcated, will be reviewed by the supervisors and trainers. The newly developed student work placement program approach is a three-way partnership among the employer, the University and the Sri Lanka Ceramics Council, and formally integrates classroom study with on-the-job experience. The program builds upon the employer/training provider partnerships created by the SLACC (formerly the Ceramics Cluster), and enable students gain work experience with specific industry-related objectives beneficial for them, for employers, and the University. The overall objective of the programme is to make the students more employable after their graduation. |
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