SLIM celebrates 30 years of PCM

• Induction of 2017 fresh batch

Preliminary Certificate in Marketing (PCM), the three month course launched by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) in 1988 was aimed at bestowing a basic knowledge in marketing to young executives, school leavers who yearn to venture into the philosophical world of marketing and non-marketers who realize the value in marketing.

PCM having completed 30 years in the mentoring sphere had its anniversary celebrations on a grand scale that coincided with the first intake of students for 2017. The event was held at the Sri Lanka Institute of Hotel Management auditorium on 15 January. 

Marketing could be described as a ‘way of life’. A marketer who thinks ahead of his/her peers will brighten up his/her life by securing solid careers which come with fringe benefits and perks. 

SLIM as the National body for marketing is the fully fledged local marketing institute where they could confidently enroll with for their quest towards becoming marketing oriented individuals.

The 2017 inauguration of PCM was themed ‘My Determination’. The event saw the participation of school leavers, parents, people from the business fraternity and entrepreneurs. An introduction to the PCM course was done and awareness was created on the reputation SLIM has made over the decades as a credible mentoring institute.

Educating budding marketers on the basic and fundamental theories of marketing is the core object of PCM. Fundamentals of marketing which involves the four Ps or the marketing mix; relationship marketing, stakeholder marketing, marketing orientation and sales orientation plus much more is in the curriculum. Students will also be provided with the knowledge on the Sri Lankan context in marketing and sales, vital for practitioners.

PCM, a three month certificate course in marketing is held at SLIM Business School in Colombo. 

SLIM Vice President Pradeep Edward who is the Director/CEO of GAP Holding, gracing the occasion endorsed SLIM’s Preliminary Certificate in Marketing (PCM) as the ideal foundation course for those who aspire to pursue a career in marketing and sales. He said the professional career path led by PCM will open new vistas in one’s thinking pattern and expose him/her to a whole new world of marketing.

“PCM will bestow you with practical aspects of marketing and secure a career path with the highest growth rate. It is the shortest route to an MBA. Plus, PCM lays the foundation for obtaining the Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing (PgDip). Hence without curtailing your marketing studies to PCM, move forward,” he urged the new batch of students.

The occasion was also graced by Senior Lecturer, Marketing Consultant, Trainer, Tutor and Chairman – Education Reforms Committee of SLIM, G.S. Sylvester. He said the PCM course is designed to be in line with the latest global trends in marketing and PCM students are groomed to be future marketers who could rub shoulders with the global marketing fraternity and the corporate sector.

“PCM focuses on the importance of marketing to the current world,” he added.

SLIM CEO/ Executive Director Sanath Senanayake opined: “Professional career path led by PCM will open new vistas in an individual’s thinking pattern exposing him/her to a whole new world of marketing. PCM will also grant you with practical aspects of marketing and secure a career path with the highest growth rate. Thus practicality and quality of this qualification is unparalleled to other similar courses.”

Suran de Silva, now holding the position of Head of Underwriting and Claims at Assetline Holding, said PCM course kindled the marketeer in him. He said PCM motivated him to complete his MBA at young age. Currently he is a PgDip holder and a research supervisor at SLIM. He said he has chosen the correct path to brighten his career and is now drawing a salary three times better than the previous one.

SLIM has been operating as a plausible marketing institute since 1970 with the noble vision of elevating the status of marketing in Sri Lanka.