Today, you see the mushrooming of many Career Guidance and Overseas Education Consultancy Service Providers. But these institutions have to take great caution in giving advice to those who walk in through their doors as they have to be well aware that the moment they give advice they are contributing to the moulding of another person’s life and especially at a very young age. Mr. Keerthi Jayasuriya, the Chairman and the CEO of International Scholar Educational Services (PVT) Ltd, is a proud citizen of Sri Lanka who having schooled here pursued his higher studies at the University of Bath, United Kingdom and graduated as an engineer.

He then went on to do his postgraduate studies in Management at Deakin University in Australia. He is a man of success who has dealt with his fair share of battles. Mr. Jayasuriya is equipped with working experience in Sri Lanka as well as in UK and Australia. I have and I have also worked in the UK The importance of career guidance “Many parents and students are unfortunately not proficient in career guidance and we need to change this system,” Mr. Jayasuriya exclaimed passionately. Our parents and students fail to understand that “the world of opportunities does not stop at not gaining state university entrance, “Mr. Jayasuriya explained.

Raising awareness Every student likes to study well and enjoy a stable employment. But the majority is focused on doing mainstream degrees such as business or IT where the supply is large. While that is a possibility, there are many opportunities that are outside of the mainstream occupations which students are not aware of. Both the students and the parents need to realize that each individual is unique and they possess their own talents and are competent in different sectors. Hence they should choose career paths that compliment themselves.

There are many opportunities and the trades are very much in demand overseas such as in the Middle East. But the awareness of these facts among the society is very low as they have not received proper career guidance. Mr. Jayasuriya claimed, “We do not advice the moment a student walks in through our door, to study overseas. We guide them and we make them aware of all the possibilities in the 21st century world and we provide them with the best options through which the student would obtain a thorough insight into the options available. Therefore, we are very ethical and honest about what we state.

” Our leanings Apart from not being equipped with a bird’s eye view our society also needs to understand that learning of the language of English is also important to sustain in the chosen fields. English is not learnt to merely pass an examination but it is a very useful skill in a developing country as ours. One does not need to attend classes to learn a language if one possess determination and the desire. Some of the most sought after skills by an employer are communication skills, analytical thinking, critical thinking and emotional intelligence.

We need to guide our students to enhance and empower these skills to be ideal candidates for employment. Actual training in the field of chosen path is also a need that is to be addressed as learning in the classroom will not be helpful when it comes to actually carrying out the tasks at the place of employment. “The experience and the exposure that a student obtains really matter.” Mr. Jayasuriya stated. “In Sri Lanka we have a notion that more than what you know, it is who you know that matters. But I believe the factor that is of paramount importance is who knows you. We need to teach our students how to market themselves and make themselves known socially and in their chosen career fields as capable people and good leaders,” concluded Mr. Jayasuriya.

Eranthi Abeywardana