Another success story of IIT- Miranga Hendawitharana, Manager, Software Development at IFS
View(s):“I wanted to arm myself with the credentials that employers are looking for, and this is the kind of opportunity that Informatics Institute of Technology (IIT- www.iit.ac.lk) offered me“were the thoughts stated by Miranga Hendawitharana, who having commenced his IT degree in 2002 in BSc (Hons) Information Systems, straight after his education at Royal College, currently holds the position of Manager, Software Development at IFS Research and Development Pvt Ltd.
Having decided to pursue his education at IIT due to its recognition amongst employers and its foreign affiliation with highly ranked British universities, Miranga also spoke favorably of his education at the institute by stating that they enabled him to have the capacity to work in a global environment. This was due to the grounding and the guidance he received from lecturers who were experienced personnel from the industry. He further stated that the lecturers are very friendly and go out of their way to help students. And also the all round activity at IIT encourages sports and other extracurricular endeavors range from drama, singing, cultural events, the student union and team building activities. Speaking of the course curriculum he said “Not only does the curriculum structure incorporate assignments that involve team building, presentations and communication activities but also facing challenges. Therefore students could enhance skills of listening, effective communication, attention to detail, documentation etc which are invaluable skills that go a long way when ultimately dealing with clients and engaging in business. Therefore I would say that IIT offered a well thought out programme structure and curriculum that included not only an extensive understanding of the theoretical subject matter but also the wide practical application of each subject.
Being a Scuba Diver, Miranga picked as his final year project to develop a system that helped swimming coaches to evaluate and manage the performance of swimmers which also included the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enable coaches to make certain decisions on training, as it was a solution that was lacking in the country at that time. He went on to saying that this gave him the exposure to provide an innovative solution to a problem, and practice the conceptual knowledge gained through his studies.”
The unique feature of the IIT’s degrees is the one year internship in Local blue chip and Multinational companies. Speaking of his internship Miranga stated “Transitioning from school to a career can be intimidating. Many graduates find themselves getting lost in the competitive job market. Completing an internship while you’re still a student can certainly help you get an edge on this process. Even though internships mimic jobs in many ways, they’re truly about learning.
It can give you the opportunity to practice what you’re been learning in the classroom in the ‘real world, and develop hands-on practical skills.
They look great on a resume too. Making professional contacts in the corporate world is another crucial part of getting started on your career path. Not only can knowing the right person help you get your foot in the door in most workplaces, having good contacts helps you tap into a whole network of professional information and resources. An internship is a great place to make these contacts. If you perform well, your employer may be willing to write you a recommendation and introduce you to other people in the field. I was fortunate enough to gain these aspects during my stint at IFS, resulting in me deciding that it was the place for me to commence my career. Through these opportunities I have been able to progress in my career at IFS, having started off working in the development division as Software Engineer, I was able to very comfortably progress to the next rung on my career which were as Senior Software Engineer, Assistant Manager Software Development and I am today a Manager in Software Development. Today I handle many interesting projects with multinationals and blue chip companies that has added value to their operations through the software and services we have delivered for them.
These consist of implementing ERP systems in many areas such as manufacturing, supply chain, human resources, finance and many more. He added that “My education at IIT acted as a ‘catalyst’ and it ‘fuelled’ and ‘propelled ‘ the way I successfully handled problems, made decisions and performed my duties.”
He further stated that his ambition is to proceed in the ICT field by applying modern technology and concepts to improve the productivity & competitiveness of businesses, and thereby to take companies to the next level. Miranga concluded by saying “The ICT industry as we know is growing steadily in Sri Lanka.
Therefore, I recommend IIT to school leavers as it has the industry acceptance & capability required to groom you to a Professional. My own experience with them has certainly proved to me that it was the right decision to take.”
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