Project Uplift – Phase One: Lead 360° Workshop Series

 Project Uplift – Phase One: Lead 360° Workshop Series

Leo Club of University of Colombo successfully organized Project Uplift - Phase One: 360° Workshop Series, designed with the aim of helping university students to acquire essential knowledge and skills necessary for successful careers in today’s competitive world. This was done in collaboration with the University of Colombo’s Career Guidance Unit.

Over the course of this program, five comprehensive workshop sessions were carried out, with around 300 students from various faculties participating. Each workshop session was designed to discuss an essential area that can enhance the professional development of students, including developing an impressive CV, understanding the concept of entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and digital personal branding.

Session 1: Career Guidance and Interview Excellence The session was conducted by Mr. Ilham Marikkar, Director of Amazon College and Campus and Visiting Lecturer at the University of Peradeniya. Through this session students were made aware of techniques and strategies to find appropriate careers and understand what is required from a candidate by an employer. The students were also made aware of interview techniques and strategies to help them perform well in professional interviews.

Session 2: CV Writing Conducted by guest speaker Ms. Thilini Perera (LL.B/MSC), Attorney at Law and TV News Anchor, the workshop provided useful information regarding a perfect and professional CV. Students learned how to write a perfect CV, how to present their skills and achievements, and how to tailor their CV in a way that suits a particular job. Moreover, they learned about common mistakes students usually make and how to make their CV stand out.

Session 3: Entrepreneurship and Business Planning The third workshop session encouraged students to think about entrepreneurship and business planning. It was conducted by Mr. Prabath Nalinda Thilakarathna, CEO of CIME Sri Lanka, Founder, and Social Entrepreneur. This session started with how to find a business idea suitable according to individual preference, developing creative business concepts, and creating a small business plan. The difficulties in starting a business, the importance of strategic thinking, and being unique in the market were also discussed.

Session 4: Financial Literacy and Stock Market Essentials The session was addressed by Mr. Chamath Wickramaaracchi, Research Manager at Asha Securities Limited. Students were taught how one can start investing and the process one has to go through before joining the market. They learned the advantages and disadvantages of investing in the stock market, reliable sources of information, and how to invest wisely. Overall, the session was useful for those who want to know how to invest in stocks, especially beginners.

Session 5: LinkedIn Mastery The final session covered the topic of LinkedIn mastery. It was conducted by Mrs. Kenesha Karunarathna, Manager of Talent Acquisition and Development at Ceylon Biscuits Limited. Students learned how to create an impactful presence online to advance their career, including building a strong profile, developing networks, using the platform to gain internships, and improving personal branding.

We extend our deepest gratitude to all the esteemed guest speakers for generously dedicating their valuable time and sharing their rich knowledge and real-world experiences with our students. Their sessions were not only highly informative but also deeply inspiring, leaving a lasting impact on every participant. Each speaker was presented with a token of appreciation as a humble token of our thanks.

In closing, we offer our sincere appreciation to the dedicated Leo Club committee members whose tireless behind-the-scenes efforts were the true backbone of this program’s success. Project Uplift has genuinely transformed the career readiness of University of Colombo students, and we are excited to build on this momentum in future phases.