The John Keells Social Responsibility Foundation is enhancing its ‘English for Life’ programme aimed at helping young adults gain practical skills in English together with basic IT and soft skills in order to facilitate their employability.

This initiative is a natural step following the popular and successful 6-month foundation programme and the 2-year EdExcel Diploma offered previously under the John Keells English Language Scholarship programme, the company said in a statement.

The programme, which was launched in 2004, has since its inception empowered more than 1,400 school children in various parts of the island, from areas as diverse as Colombo and its suburbs, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Bandarawela, Wellawaya, Habarana, Vavuniy and Batticaloa.

The programme would also be administered through the Gateway Language Centres islandwide. It is aimed at youth between the ages of 17-25 years of age and would initially be focused in the following areas: Anuradhapura, Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, Kurunegala, Nawala, Negombo, Panadura, Trincomalee and Wattala, the statement said.

“We have called for applications from all interested individuals through trilingual advertisements in the local daily and weekly newspapers – namely, the Sunday Observer, Silumina, Daily Mirror, Lankadeepa and Virakesari,” said Sumithra Gunesekara, Director, John Keells Holdings. “The response has been overwhelming, with the applications pouring in daily. Once we have received all applications by the given deadline – which is 31 July 2008 – we will call the candidates for an entrance exam. Eligibility for the scholarship would depend on their performance at this exam.”

The scholarship entitles the students to a four-month course in English together with basic IT and soft skills and would cover the cost of course fees, examination fees and necessary text books. Intensive four-hour classes would be held once a week; and the students would have to sit for a final examination at the end of the course.

Upon attending all classes and passing this examination, they would be entitled to a certificate. As a further mark of their commitment to facilitate or improve the employment of youth, companies within the John Keells Group have been invited to consider successful candidates for recruitment wherever possible, the statement said..