Edex Expo - 2012 from Jan 20-22

by Ananda KANNANGARA

Sri Lanka’s largest higher education and careers exhibition, Edex Expo 2012 ‘ will be opened for school leavers at the BMICH from January 20-22, 2011. The exhibition will help them find suitable vocational, technical and skills development training institutes, across the world.

EDEX, Chairman Kamal Abeysinghe

The `Edex 2012 ‘ exhibition organised by the Royal College Union (RCU) for the ninth year will also be held in Kandy from January 27 and 28 . EDEX, Chairman Kamal Abeysinghe told the Sunday Observer that Edex has helped a large number of Sri Lankan youth to follow local and foreign career guidance programs during the past eight years.

“Sri Lanka is undergoing rapid development and the demand for a skilled and better-educated workforce is on the rise.

Aspiration among youth for higher-paying jobs is also on the rise”.

He said the objective of holding Edex is to help youth to have the right higher education and improve market-relevant skills vital to gain employment.

Abeysinghe also said a variety of choices , options and opportunities are offered by EDEX and it will be an oasis for the youth in the country.

“Edex has already realised the academic and professional dreams of youth and helps them to become active and productive participants of the economy,” he said.

Citing Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) statistics, Abesinghe highlighted that due to lack of suitable educational qualifications and skills, Sri Lankans lost over 600,000 overseas job opportunities last year. Edex could overcome such a situation in the future.

He said employers have said that the country lacks skilled and qualified people to fill vacancies.

He said the new Edex logo captures the essence and combines all its initiatives such as Expo, Careers, Magazine, Sithuwam and Think green.

Commenting on the proposed plan of setting up private medical colleges in the country, Abesinghe said that the country needs quality education which could be offered either by the Government or the private sector.

RCU, Secretary, Manju Ariyaratne said Edex was set up in 2004 with the objective of offering better education for youth which will help, them secure employment.