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proffer new avenues and opportunities of employment for rural youth. However, growth which was previously largely restricted to the western province and a few urban centres has created a huge gap between the levels of skill and personal characteristics of these youth; traits that are mandated by today’s corporates, raising doubts over the real employability of an educated yet un-empowered rural workforce.
The need for imparting practical skills, improving English education and leadership training is becoming ever-more critical, in addition to what we proffer through schools and higher education.
To serve this critical need, diversified holdings company, Carson Cumberbatch PLC, inaugurated a dedicated Youth Skills Development Centre at Hambantota, following an invitation from ‘Thaarunyata Hetak’, under the auspices of MP Namal Rajapaksa.
Since its inception in 2011, the program has enhanced the employability of youth in the Hambantota District, and has trained over 980 students and is currently in its fifth edition. The program was designed based on a study conducted by the Employers Federation of Sri Lanka titled ‘What the Private Sector is looking for from Entry-Level Employees’.
The four-month long curriculum imparts information technology and computer skills, English language training, business and presentation skills, business etiquette and personality development. The facility provides an experiential and practical approach to enable youth to gain the necessary practical skills to obtain gainful employment in a modern and progressive private and state sector.
Post program research has shown that over 15% of students have gained employment in both the state and private sector; whilst some have chosen self-employment as others pursue higher educational opportunities.
Asintha Kumari from Hambantota, a graduate of the program’s third enrolment is now employed at the Mattala Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport, engaged in Call Centre and Flight Operations. She avers that the training received through the 
Carson’s program has enabled her to engage with customers and colleagues confidently and even serve foreign travellers due to her improved knowledge of English and confidence.
“Our lives would have been very different if not for this program. At the outset, they tested us on different competencies and inquired after our ambitions. The program was structured around what we needed the most. Practical training like facing an interview, conducting meetings and working in a team were all new experiences to us, and we are grateful to the company and the training team for providing us with this new lease of life,” she said. Kumari aspires to further her career in the aviation sector, adding that her learning through this program will enable her to achieve her goals throughout her life.
Asintha’s view is echoed by Dulaj Sandun Kumara, a current student on the program, who recently had his first real experience on how to face a prospective job interview. The 21-year remarked that he had no prior insight into the real expectations of a modern working environment, adding that he now feels confident of meeting any challenge in the private sector. Sandun’s aspires to become an accountant, and he commended the individual attention and coaching provided to students to help them achieve their life’s dreams. “I always wanted to speak English well, to be able to go before an audience and capture their thoughts and attention. I am proud to be able to do that now, I am learning how to market myself before people – there are many new things I want to do with my life,” beamed the confident young man.
Training modules
The four-month long training period is divided into two modules based on the criteria set out from the EFC research. The company works closely with local authorities and educational institutes to identify and attract potential candidates, whilst independent applicants are also encouraged to participate. The identified applicants must then go through an interview process to measure their aptitude and interest, in orde
r to structure the ongoing training program to better meet their requests.
Module one which encompasses the first two months of the program entails focus on developing English language and business presentation skills and IT education. The participants and their progress are constantly measured against predefined benchmarks, and are tested on their performance at the end of two months. Successful members then move on to the second stage where the classroom focuses on leadership and practical skills development such as public-speaking, team-building and networking, business etiquette, employment options and the interview process.
Leadership mentoring
All participants receive individual mentoring from the leadership team, and receive guidance on achieving their career objectives. At the end of the training period, the graduates pass out at a special ceremony which is also a platform to showcase their achievements and skills. They receive prizes and certificates from Thaarunyata Hetak and the Carsons Group, which also detail their performance and aptitude in the respective areas – a unique feature of the course. In 2012, 250 graduated from the program, whilst a similar number received training in 2013. At its inception, the program also hosted 100 students from the Kilinochchi district to in order to share its benefits with other regions.
The program’s Director and Head of Human Resources for Carson Cumberbatch PLC, Bennett Patternot said: “What we are doing is giving life to the hopes and dreams or rural youth. There lies an abundant of talent and aspiration amongst them and the lack of soft skills prevent them from achieving their full potential. Together with Thaarunyata Hetak we have been able to forge an effective program to address this need, and it’s an effective model that can be easily replicated to serve the development needs of youth all over the island. It brings me immense pleasure and pride to witness the transformation we deliver to these deserving youth, and as we grow this programme in years to come I am confident it would drive significant value and change the way we live and work in a new Sri Lanka.”
Internship programs
Carsons has approached a number of top Sri Lankan corporates to offer internships to the graduates for professional development, plus, provide space to market the talents of students who opted for self-employment. The uptake of graduates and the overall response has been positive with several leading corporate and institutions figured amongst those who have come forward to provide employment opportunities to these youth. Carsons organised a career fair on 16 January 2014 at the Singapore Hall in Hambantota with a host of companies participating, offering entry-level jobs to graduates of the program. In addition to providing employment options, the forum also served as an effective platform to provide constructive feedback to participants and face the interview processes with multiple employers. Carsons will continue to support and monitor the progress 
of these youth to ensure they integrate well into society and contribute gainfully to employers and the nation.
Carson Cumberbatch’s PLC’s Youth Skills Development Program features qualified and experienced lecturers and guidance counsellors, including Hashini Gunasekera who conducted the personal grooming sessions for all five batches at Hambantota. The line-up includes a qualified and experienced panel of lecturers on IT and Business skills, whilst the Personality Development and Leadership training was conducted by Patternot. They together with management from the company and guest speakers have contributed immensely to the program, spending long hours with the students in the southern region.
“When I first heard of this program, I thought it was just another English language and computer course, but within a few days we realised that this was a lot more than that. We have gained immensely from this program. Though we had done some work at school and institutes we realised this wasn’t adequate and the skills we have gained now have made us different people. We are now confident and can take charge of our futures and the opportunities that come our way,” says S.P. Gayani a 21-year old from Katuwana. Her ambition is to serve in the health services sector, and being unsuccessful in achieving university entrance she now hopes to serve in the private sector and further her education to achieve her dream.
Overall success
The Carson’s Youth Skills Development Program is adorned with success stories – stories of empowerment and new beginnings that will define our country’s future. It is a holistic program that doesn’t end at graduation, but one that maps the development of participants; constantly seeking opportunities that will drive them towards their dreams. The Carsons model has looked at their every stage of evolution; made possible by its partnerships and stringent evaluation and monitoring of every student in the program – delivering necessary support at every stage. “Our mission is to prepare our youth and our nation for its next level of growth,” avers Bennett Patternot, as he reiterated his Group’s commitment to grow education and skills development across Sri Lanka. The Carsons Group through its subsidiaries implements numerous communal and educational development programs island wide.
