Over 100 CA Sri Lanka students awarded certificates for completing inaugural soft skills program

CA Sri Lanka students receiving certificates

Over 100 aspiring chartered accountants were awarded certificates on Wednesday after successfully completing three unique soft skills programs, introduced by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) for the first time for the benefit of corporate level students.  

CA Sri Lanka Past President Lasantha Wickremasinghe

CA Sri Lanka President Jagath Perera

Guest of Honour CBSL Deputy Governor H.A. Karunaratne

Certificates were awarded to students who completed the Speech Craft Program, Financial Report Writing Workshop Series and the Residential Program on Entrepreneurial and Business Acumen Skills at the awards ceremony which was held under the patronage of CA Sri Lanka Past President Lasantha Wickremasinghe and Central Bank of Sri Lanka Deputy Governor H.A. Karunaratne.

A total of 110 students received certificates for completing the three programs, which were introduced by the Institute with the aim of harnessing the personal attributes of the students, by strengthening their communication, leadership, interpersonal, business and entrepreneurial skills. 

Delivering the welcome speech, Jagath Perera said it is paramount to ensure that the accounting profession not only remains relevant but is also safe in the future. “We must work towards ensuring that we are future ready, so that our profession is secure and will be in good hands of competent and capable chartered accountants.”

Chief Guest Wickremasinghe said that CA Sri Lanka had to ensure it produces chartered accountants on par with its global counterparts and who are industry ready. “I am certain that these three programs will help you become competitive with other professional accountants.”  

He also urged the students to remain dynamic and continuously update their skills and enhance their knowledge in relation to the profession. “Education is a never-ending journey, whether it comes in the form of practical or theory. Do not think that when you receive your certificate today, your education in this subject is over. This certificate is just a beginning,” he added. 

Guest of Honour Karunaratne emphasised that the students have completed three important programmes to shape their future career. He said that the world is today facing mega trends along with various challenges. “So, if you want to survive in the long run, then you must have the ability to provide solutions to these challenges and be a part of the value chain.” 

He urged the students to look for unorthodox solutions and to carry out their operations in the future with a different, out of the box mindset. “This will definitely ensure that you will be a valuable part and this will make you indispensable,” he added. 

Chairman of the Student Training and Skills Development Committee Dulitha Perera said that the majority of the students will not realise the benefit of these three sessions until they require these skills once they progress in their career. He said that to ensure the Institute produces employable professionals, it embarked on these three programs to address certain issues and demands as per the current and future marketplace. “These are part of the competencies which we can help you harness, but it is your individual responsibility to ensure that you develop passion, positive attitude and self-discipline, which are important traits of becoming a successful chartered accountant,” he added.