Eighth EDEX expo offers skills, training, academic solutions and more

EDEX 2011, the premier national higher education and careers expo in Sri Lanka, will be held on 22, 23 and 24 January at the BMICH, followed by its twin exhibition at Kandy City Centre, Kandy on 26 and 27 January 2011.

Organised by the Royal College Union for the eighth consecutive year, EDEX is the largest platform for local and foreign post-secondary educational service providers, skills development and training institutions and prospective employers to showcase their services and career pathways to thousands of visitors, mostly aspiring youth.

The vision of EDEX, “to empower Sri Lankan youth to be globally competitive,” remains vibrant, meeting the demands of students, school leavers, teachers, parents, first time job-seekers as well as those underemployed.

Chairman of EDEX 2011 Kamal Abeysinghe opined: “Sri Lanka is aiming to increase the per capita income to US$ 4,000 by 2015 and transform the economic landscape of the nation, to manufacturing and knowledge based services. In this backdrop one of the biggest challenges country faces will be to find competent human resources.”

“It is natural for the youth with higher aspirations to seek out more lucrative economic opportunities, whilst the demand for a better educated workforce with market relevant skills is bound to grow in leaps and bounds. However, on the supply side, frustrations could be the inevitable outcome, if most of our youth lack the desired standards of education and skills to take up these new positions.”

“There is an urgent need to focus on this emergent issue which can potentially result in dismal social ramifications unless addressed in a pro-active manner. Creating timely and equitable opportunities to bridge the education and skills gap ensuring quality and relevance is a prudent social imperative. It is heartening to note that the authorities have taken a number of positive steps in this direction,” added Abeysinghe.

EDEX has been a pathfinder in youth empowerment, offering a blend of best in class choices, options and opportunities available locally and overseas in a single platform for right education and skills development leading to gainful employment. There is something for every young person who walks into the exhibition to reap its benefits, education-wise, skills-wise or career-wise,” Abeysinghe emphasised.

World-class educational service providers from the West, Middle, South and Far East will be present to make spot admissions and facilitate pathways for eligible students to realize their dreams. Whilst EDEX 2010 attracted representatives from 26 countries, the growing enthusiasm among local service providers (some with foreign collaboration) is bound to create an array of more affordable and competitive opportunities locally. Even full and partial scholarships will be on offer in limited numbers to deserving students.

Career guidance and professional counseling are also on the cards enabling most relevant selections to take place.

With ‘Green’ becoming a rapid buzzword globally, the excitement initiated at the 2009 EDEX expo, in terms of green careers/jobs has grown exponentially. EDEX Think Green campaign aims to educate activate and engage youth towards sustainable living. Judging by the remarkable response from Green-stakeholders of EDEX 2010, the organisers hope to showcase numerous green initiatives for students and entrepreneurs alike to cash-in from 2011 ‘Green-Zone’.

The EDEX Careers portal has always been the virtual one stop platform for the visitors who aspire to reach greater heights in their careers. Even a new job aspirant can log in and file his/her CV online at www.edex.lk free of charge. The website is also a partnered link to the millions of urban and rural youth who are connected by ‘Schoolnet’ – the intranet of the Ministry of Education and the ‘Nesansala’ of the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA).

EDEX 2011 has received renewed endorsements from the Presidential Secretariat, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Higher Education, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Ministry of Labour Relations and Productivity Promotion.

The strategic partners for EDEX 2011 will be the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), AMCHAM, ICTA and SLASSCOM, signifying its relevance to multiple industry chambers and employers.

For participation and/or further information, please contact the EDEX Secretariat on 011 5521 497 or 011 3091 086.

Visit www.edex.lk or e-mail us for any information on [email protected] (please type ‘EDEX-2011’ as the subject) or fax 011 2683 100.