OASBT to launch industry-oriented programs

The OpenArc School of Business and Technology Ltd (OASBT) will launch more industry-oriented Information Technology (IT) study programs for school-leavers. The objective of these programs is to help students to obtain IT-related jobs.

In an interview with the Sunday Observer, OASBT, Managing Director, Vijith Sinhabahu said, unlike in previous years, there is a huge response from school-leavers to follow IT-related programs.

He said the main objective of the OASBT is to empower school-leavers with industry-oriented technical knowledge and improve their soft skills, so that they could easily find employment.

Following are excerpts of the interview:

Question: Could you give a brief history of your company?

Answer: We set up our institution 21 years ago as a software development company. The present Chairman and CAO of our company is Daya Hettiarachchi. Ours is a 'CMMI' level 3' assessed software company, a standard set by Carnegie Mellon University and Software Engineering Institute, USA.

Q: Why did your institution take a decision to introduce IT programs, especially for school-leavers?

A: Today we live in a globalised world. Therefore, the future generation should have an excellent knowledge of IT. Although we wish to expand our programs for school-leavers, even schoolchildren need to improve their knowledge of IT.

When we advertised for IT graduates for our software development company, we received hundreds of applications, but to select even one person was difficult as their knowledge was poor. I think if we introduce more IT-related programs, it will help the country to find suitable persons to the software development industry.

Q: What are the other IT programs you have already commenced for the benefit of school leavers?

A: In 2007, we designed a four-year program to help school-leavers who have a minimum of three passes at the GCE (AL) exam to be trained as 'Industry-fit graduates'. Under this program, in the first year they follow an industry-oriented diploma program, 'Industrial Diploma in Software Development'. Students are given practical training in various ICT theories.

The teaching is done by qualified teachers who are involved in our software development company. Our teaching staff knows what is needed in practical software development.

Q: Have you offered scholarships to students?

A: Since 2007, we have offered 92 scholarships worth about Rs. 50 million to deserving school-leavers. They have followed diploma and BIT degree programs. After completing the diploma the scholars are absorbed as trainees to OpenArc software development company.

We also provide them with a comprehensive training on practical software development during the first year of their degree program. They study on one-day during the week-end and practise on week-days.

During their study period they also receive a training allowance. Thereafter, from the second year, they are absorbed into the software company as 'Software Developers' and are paid an industrial average salary.

They complete the degree while receiving the all-important software development experience. Our graduates are more capable than a graduate who passes out after completing a purely academic course.

Q: What do you think about the future of students who become graduates in the field of IT?

A: They are the livewires of the most important projects undertaken by the software company, such as computerisation of 310 branches of the Bank of Ceylon with 'OpenArc Skylease' software system. Our school and the software development company are housed together.

AK