Alumni Association of University of Peradeniya Colombo Chapter and Peradeniya Engineering Faculty Alumni Association Colombo strike landmark partnership

• Initiative will enable University of Peradeniya to create history by introducing Working Students Assistantship Program

During the recent economic crisis, at the request of the Vice Chancellor the Alumni Association of the University of Peradeniya Colombo Chapter (AAUP-CC) and Peradeniya Engineering Faculty Alumni Association-Colombo (PEFAA-CC) came forward to financially assist 300 needy students for a period of six months with the help of donors.

The university suggested converting it to a Working Student Assistantship Program to add more value to the generous contribution of the Alumni.

The Working Student Assistantship Program (WSAP) is a short-term placement of undergraduates as trainees with externship providers within the university. This program aims to assist the students financially while developing their career skills towards a successful and self-led future. Further it creates practical work exposure in the university to increase the career skills of the students. This is the first time such a program is launched in a university in Sri Lanka.

Under the program jobs have been created in all nine faculties and other entities of the university, and offer students flexible working hours to suit their academic timetable. Students are employed on a part-time basis in a wide range of jobs created within the university such as translators, web designers, data analysts, graphic designers, aquarium assistants, event coordinators, legal assistants, HR assistants, management assistant, social media coordinators, etc. This program is managed by the Career Guidance Unit of the university.

A ceremony was held recently at the University Grant Commission under the patronage of the UGC Chairman Prof. Sampath Amaratunga to officially introduce the program. University of Peradeniya Vice Chancellor Prof. M.D. Lamawansa and University of Peradeniya Director Career Guidance Unit Prof. Dileep De Silva, President of the Alumni Association of the University of Peradeniya Colombo Chapter and the Alumni Association of the Faculty of Engineering Colombo Chapter Eng. Vipula Jayampathi, and 20 representatives including the officials from the alumni associations participated at this indelible event.