IIT has been able to consistently maintain a record of achieving top standards both in the education and the Industry as a versatile Institution. IIT’s past pupils have proven their spirit in the corporate world beyond the University. Omar Reyal who currently serves as a Director of Business Development at Zone24x7 joined with IIT in [...]

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Another Success Story of IIT from Malaysia

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IIT has been able to consistently maintain a record of achieving top standards both in the education and the Industry as a versatile Institution. IIT’s past pupils have proven their spirit in the corporate world beyond the University.

Omar Reyal who currently serves as a Director of Business Development at Zone24x7 joined with IIT in 1999 with the aspiration of obtaining the Bsc (Hons) in Information Systems offered at IIT and today, he stands tall with great pride achieving nothing but the best. Omar was the gold medallist in 2003 and is a past student of Mahanama College and the Royal Institute of Colombo.

When asked what made him select IIT, Omar stated, “Good reputation in the industry. Even in 1999 when I joined, there were many IIT graduates holding key positions in the industry. The atmosphere there was extremely relaxed and inviting and certainly conducive to intense learning yet with a certain ambience that encouraged friendship and camaraderie. The students are also selected through an interview process by the faculty”.

Omar is a Director of Business Development at Zone24x7 Malaysia. Having joined Zone24x7 in 2005 as a software engineer, Omar rapidly climbed the ladder being promoted to Project Manager by 2007. Reflecting back he emphasized that ‘Zone24x7 is one of the few technology companies, in Sri Lanka with hardware and software development taking place under the same roof, providing true end-to end exposure of the technology spectrum. The company also boasts a senior management who encourages exploration of disruptive technology and has a great track record of success. This combined with a strong team of highly talented and spirited individuals, made it a great place to kick-off a career in the IT sector, and I have not looked back since. Zone24x7 continues to draw the cream of IT talent in the country including many of the top graduates from IIT, over the past several years’. Omar moved to Malaysia in 2009 to develop Zone24x7’s Malaysian and regional business. His responsibilities include penetrating new business domains and overseeing the execution of regional projects.

Omar emphasized on the structuring of the courses at IIT, ‘It’s a good Course structure that touches on a wide spectrum of verticals in the industry, giving enough knowledge in all key areas. Third year placement brought out a whole new perspective in the approach towards final year subjects and the project. Reminiscing his internship, he said “I was part of a team developing frameworks using the latest technologies of the time, some of which were used for years afterwards. The internship was a great stepping stone towards a well-rounded degree, as it exposed me to the practical aspects of applying technology to solve real business problems. This helped bring out a whole new perspective in the approach towards final year subjects and projects, which would not have been possible without the internship.

He also shared his experience on the final year project which he had submitted, ‘Framework for rapid prototyping with minimal technical intervention which can cut down significant pre-sales time and cost on software projects and help capture requirements more effectively. As a result, the output design serves as a foundation for a software team to continue building the solution.’

He believed that the IIT was the best choice when it came to obtaining the degree and moving on with employment. ‘The ability to present a pitch well and respond to questions effectively was fine tuned by the presentations and spoken exams carried out with most module projects at IIT. Also the excellent reputation set in the industry by past IIT students had set the stage to be prolific candidates at job interviews. The fundamentals of the IT industry acquired at IIT have made it easier for me to make that transition from software development to project management to business development roles smoothly throughout my career.’ He said.

Omar strongly believes that Sri Lanka has an enormous pool of talented individuals with the right attitude to do well in the industry. ‘I would like to intervene to enable more of these individuals reach the heights of their potential and help Sri Lanka gain a reputation as a nation of innovative thinkers. Technology is ever changing and evolving and will continue to do so. Sri Lankan IT graduates should aspire not just to take advantage of this evolution, but to be effective contributors towards it by using the fundamentals learned in academia to always think ahead with a focus towards solving problems.’

‘I am happy to see IIT continue to produce well rounded students since its inception. Zone24x7 has also employed some wonderfully talented graduates and interns who have shown the skill, adaptability and most importantly the attitude to be successful IT professionals, IIT has truly served the cause of education and if there is one place you must go to obtain your degree in this field, IIT should be right up there on your list.’ He concluded.

Web: www.iit.ac.lk ,

email: admissions@iit.ac.lk, 

Hot line: 0722 727272




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