WIM empowers next generation workforce with career awareness in Ampara

 Amapara School Team

Women in Management, always leading change for women and youth, celebrated International Women’s day by taking traditional women’s forums out of Colombo. Under the theme of #Betterforbalance i.e. gender balance in the workplace, they focused on the majority of the next generation’s workforce needing awareness of job availability for women and skill requirements for employment.  

The program was held on 15 March at Ampara Divisional Secretariat. Two hundred and fifty A/L schoolgirls from Ampara participated in this workshop. Women in Management Chairperson Dr. Sulochana Segera said, “There is a huge gap between unskilled and skilled employees in our local job market. This is mainly due to the lack of awareness about job descriptions and roles of employment. Females are the highest in unemployment and also their contribution to economy is still 36%. This is due to the traditional roles they are following, and also rural young women have less opportunities to become exposed to private sector employment opportunities. Even corporates focus on rural communities only for blue collar employment. They do not receive any opportunity apart from Government universities and Government jobs. To show them there are opportunities for them to be employed and how to receive skills to be competent on job market is our vision.”

The WIM Team who mentored the schoolgirls are: Dr. Sulochana Segera, WIM EXCO President Nilani Seneviratne, Regency Teas General Manager Amali Mendia, InfoTech CEO Ramya Weerakoon, SCM Plus Consultant/Director Dr. Ruvanthi De Silva and Rivira Publications Marketing Director Pushpa Samarakkodi in partnership with YouLead and Women in Work. Program Co-ordinator: Nilam Samsudeen of WIM.