Sysco LABS, the Global In-House Center for Sysco, the world’s largest foodservice provider, recently concluded a showcase of opportunities it has to offer to the next generation of talent entering the Sri Lankan technology industry.
Sysco LABS was the exclusive Innovation Partner for SLASSCOM’s National ICT/BPM Week which was held from the 11th to 13th of October at the BMICH. The national event featured career booths, insightful tech talks and invaluable career guidance, while also hosting school sessions attended by over 8,000 students and university sessions that attracted nearly 5,000 students.
Sysco LABS’ Nishantha Hettiarachchi, Director of Engineering & Architecture, Ishanka Thilakaratne, Senior Operations Manager and Savani De Silva, Project Manager, were among the 31 inspiring speakers who addressed students at the event. Sysco LABS volunteers from diverse areas within the organization also attended the event to share their knowledge and insights with visiting school, university, and post-graduate students.
Rasika Karunatilake, Managing Director of Sysco LABS, highlighted the significance of this collaboration, stating, “Sri Lanka’s IT industry has set a goal to achieve a revenue target of $5 billion by 2025. To reach this target and to sustain and grow beyond it, we need to increase our collective capacity by adding approximately 20,000 new graduates to the industry workforce every year. Collaborations such as the National ICT/BPM Week are necessary to demonstrate to students the opportunities that await them if they are to choose a career in tech, enabling the industry to increase its national contribution. We at Sysco LABS are proud to actively support such initiatives that cultivate the future IT talent pool. In addition to being a key partner, our teams are directly involved to ensure that the broader audience of prospective tech industry talent is able to discover the right opportunities for them to make a global impact.”
Thirty-two of the country’s leading IT and BPM companies participated in the event, collecting and reviewing more than 10,000 CVs of potential talent for the industry. Overall, the event saw a balanced attendance ratio of 45% female and 55% male participants – a promising sign for the industry’s future.
Jehan Perinpanayagam Chairperson of SLASSCOM expressed his thoughts on the event’s success and said, “Sysco LABS has always supported the advancement of the industry, and we are grateful to have had them on board as the Exclusive Innovation Partner for this event. Sri Lanka’s technology sector is a vital component which needs development so that it can generate more foreign revenue for the nation’s economy. Partnerships like this are essential in developing the industry’s innovation ecosystem.”
As an industry leader, Sysco LABS’ partnership reaffirms its dedication to boosting the Sri Lankan tech industry, driving innovation, and encouraging young talent to pursue tech careers with opportunities for global exposure.
