ICTA to host Lanka’s first ever national ICT Career Guidance Fair

The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) will host Sri Lanka’s first ever comprehensive National ICT Career Guidance Fair from September 1 - 2 at the BMICH, as part of its ICT Capacity Building Programme (ICBP).

The career fair will follow the National ICT Capacity Summit (NICS ‘07) planned for August 31, where the national strategic plan for the Sri Lankan ICT industry will be unveiled. The National ICT Career Guidance Fair is championed by the Ministry of Education, according to an ICTA press release. “The theme of the National ICT Career Guidance Fair is ‘Think Big.’ Our main objective is to create a paradigm shift in the way students, parents and other stakeholders view potential careers. We want to encourage them to break away from traditional career choices and attract talented youth to the rapidly growing ICT industry,” said Dr Archana Arcot, Chairperson for the Career Guidance Fair and Vice President- Human Resources for WNS Global Services, Sri Lanka.

According to the latest Sri Lankan ICT workforce survey the IT work force in 2006 was estimated to be 30,120 and the BPO workforce to be between 4,000 – 5,000. However, there is an additional requirement of 7,672 employees for the IT industry and 1,000 more for the BPO sector.

“There will be opportunities for participants to walk out with a job, especially for those at a middle management level and also for school and university students,” Dr. Arcot added.

“We are also planning to take this event outside the Western province. Two regional events are planned and will be hosted within this year,” Dr. Arcot said.