NSBM Industry Preparation Training (IPT), the pioneering industry transformation programme of NSBM Computing Undergraduates, concluded its 2024 Chapter on 10th July 2024 at the Faculty of Computing. This 8-day programme, organized by the NSBM Faculty of Computing, marked the culmination with the awarding of certificates to the participants who had successfully completed the programme.

The occasion was graced by the Dean of the Faculty of Computing Dr. Chaminda Wijesinghe,  Head of the Department of Software Engineering, Dr. Mohomad Shafraz, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Software Engineering, Ms. Pavithra Kankanamge and the academic and non-academic staff of NSBM Faculty of Computing.

Faculty of Computing organized IPT 2024 to uplift both the technical and soft skills of computing undergraduates before their professional careers. Completing eight remarkable days, the programme comprised a series of informative and practical sessions to provide students with knowledge and firsthand experience on industrial life via expert advice from a panel of highly credentialed and experienced experts in the IT industry, along with the facilitation of NSBM academics. 

Day 1 of the programme featured a keynote speech by Mr. Krishantha Dinesh, a Senior Solutions Architect with two decades of experience in the IT industry. Computing students also participated in an insightful session led by Mr. Dhammika Marasinghe, Associate Technical Lead at 99x Technology AS, on the “Overview of the IT Sector”.

On Day 2, the undergraduates had the privilege of participating in an interactive session which covered multiple invaluable areas, mainly the art of problem-solving. The session was conducted by Mr. Krishantha Dinesh, a Senior Solutions Architect with two decades of experience in the IT industry.

Day 3 indulged NSBM computing students in an insightful session on the theme of Critical thinking, complex problem-solving, and strategic communication skills in the IT industry. The session was successfully conducted by Dr. Kushani De Silva, Subject Matter Expert, CRDF Global for the State Department-funded programmes and founder/CEO Gloir.K

Day 4 comprised insightful sessions on the Practical Application of Scrum methodology in Software Delivery. The morning session was conducted by Mr. Thusitha Senanayake, General Manager – Global Process Excellence and Ms Nisadi Wanigabadu, Manager Global Process Excellence at Axiata Digital Labs where the students not only enjoyed the session but also gained valuable practical knowledge on applying Scrum to project delivery. This experience has undoubtedly enriched their understanding of Agile methodologies, preparing them for future challenges in the tech industry. The evening session was conducted by Mr. Aniston Leo – Head of Campus Hiring, Virtusa Pvt Ltd. focusing on  CV Writing, Linikedin, Interview Facing and Corporate Etiquette.

Session 1 of Day 5 focused on Internet of Things (IoT), which was facilitated by Mitra Innovation. Session 2 was conducted on “Careers related to Data Science” by a group from Dialog Axiata PLC, including  Mr. Chamika Ramanayake, Head – AI Platforms at Dialog Axiata PLC, whilst Session on “SOC Operations” was conducted by Mr. Harsha Saparamadu, Information Security Engineer at LK Domain Registry.

The morning phase of Day 6 had “Session on ERP” conducted by Mr. Ifram Ismath, Certified ERP Consultant at Fortude along with Ms. Kaveesha Wijemanne, Consultant at Fortude and “Session on Cloud Computing” conducted by Mr. Shawn Brito, Lead System Engineer at IFS. The evening phase included a session on “Non-IT Careers” conducted by Mr. Yoman Bandara, Assistant Manager – IT Operations & Infrastructure at Hemas Consumer Brands. 

Day 7 comprised sessions on “Careers in Software Development” by Mr. Akila Darshana Panditha, Software Architect at PickMe; “Careers in SRE and Systems” by Mr. Sashika Suren, Head of Systems Security & SRE, Architect at Axiata Digital Labs; “Careers in Software Quality Assurance” By Mr. Kapila Karunaratne, Head of Delivery – Testing, Sri Lanka at Exactpro Systems; “Careers in Business Analysis” By Mr. Chinthana Perera, Consultant – Business Architecture at MillenniumIT ESP; “Careers in Project Management” by Mr. Shenal Colonne, Vice President, NA Telco Business Delivery Head at Virtusa and a Network Session by Mr. Ranga Kariapperuma, Territory Business Manager at Cisco Systems Inc.

On Day 8, the sessions were conducted on “UI/UX Engineering” by Ms. Sajani Lokuge, Senior UX Designer at IFS; “Networks Careers path with Cisco Certifications” and a network session by Mr. Chathura Edirisooriya, VP – Solutions Architecture /Principal ArchitectVP – Solutions Architecture /Principal Architect at NCINGA and “Session on Mobile Application Development” facilitated by PickMe.