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ICSA (UK) selects ICBS as the exclusive learning partner
[The Island 30th March 2008] |
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“The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of UK has selected Imperial College of Business Studies as their exclusive learning partner in Sri Lanka according to Paul Dudley, Head of Professional Education. “We selected ICBS after carefully evaluating several potential business schools in the country. In our ranking ICBS came on top, due to their professionalism, dedication to high standards and the comprehensiveness of the qualified and experienced educational panel” said Mr Dudley.
Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, Director of Imperial College of Business Studies and a member of the board of study points out that ICSA (UK) is the second professional body to have selected ICBs as the exclusive learning partner in Sri Lanka within the just two years. “Prior to this we were appointed as the exclusive tuition provider by the Institute of Certified Management accountants (ICMA) of Australia. We offer the GMA(Australia) and CMA(Australia) programs. Now the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) with a history of more than 100 years in UK, has selected us to offer their courses on exclusive basis. This shows the respect we now command as a high quality educational services provider” added Dr Godahewa.
“The fist step in this partnership would be to launch the ‘Certificate and Diploma in Business Practices’ and then move on to the other professional qualifications offered by ICSA” says Mr Anil Kumara Meegahage, a senior faculty member for ICSA programs. According to Mr Meegahage there are more than 150 registered ICSA students in the country without tutor support. “The appointment of ICBS as the exclusive tution provider will immediately benefit these students. There are quite a number of fully qualified ICSA members in the country. We hope to seek their support to aggressively promote this qualification which is one of the most respected qualifications in UK. As the qualifying body for company secretaries and senior administrators, ICSA offers professional qualifications covering business, company law, corporate governance, management, finance/accounting, administration and company secretarial practice. No other professional body in the business area offers the breadth of knowledge which the ICSA Qualifying Scheme provides.” he added.
Imperial College of Business Studies has planned a seminar for prospective ICSA students on the 8th April 208 at 5.30 pm at Galle Face hotel. Those who wish to participate at the seminar could contact 4515253 to reserve their seats, according to Mr Meegahage. The seminar will be attended by the officials of the ICSA, members, students and the ICBS faculty members. |
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“CIMA qualification today has become one of the most sought after professional qualifications amongst recruiters due the balanced way its syllabus is structured” says Pravinth Rajaratnam the Director Academic Affairs of Imperial College “Of the three pillars of CIMA education; Strategic Management; Management Accountancy and the Financial Accountancy, it is the Strategic Management pillar that ensures CIMA graduates are business savvy and ready for jobs in many different disciplines of management without restricting them to Finance. We do understand this and want our students to get the best education possible in this area. That is why at Imperial College we have put together the best combination of strategy lecturers available in Sri Lanka today. Our CIMA lecturing panel in the Strategy pillar comprise of proven practitioners who have already practiced what they teach. So they don’t just chalk the talk but walk the talk”
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Mario Fonseka – Top CIMA ( Final Stage)
Mario is a Fellow member of both CIMA, UK as well as the Society of Certified Management Accountants (SCMA) in Sri Lanka. He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), UK. He also holds a MBA from the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM), University of Sri Jayewardenepura, where he also topped his batch while also securing a ‘Merit’ Pass. Having held numerous responsibilities in the corporate sector as Head of Finance, Head of Corporate Planning, General Manager etc, Marior is currently a Director of the training and management consulting firm ‘Kaizen Plus’ A well reputed lecturer locally as well as internationally for Top CIMA is the first Sri Lankan to have lectured for CIMA students outside of Sri Lanka in Malaysia, Singapore Dubai and Hong Kong. When asked him about his phenomenal success in tutoring for the ‘TOPCIMA’ paper, he simply states that it has all been due to his effort to try and ‘get inside the mind of the examiner’ which has helped him to develop his highly exam focussed strategy for this final examination in CIMA. Given that this is a case based examination, he goes on to state that a student’s success is largely dependent upon understanding the scope of this paper and then being able to cater to the examiners expectations logically within the available time. Mario is also the only Sri Lankan tutor who can boast of having produced country prize winners in TOPCIMA, in four different countries, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
Dr.Nalaka Godahewa – Business Strategy ( Strategy Level)
Nalaka Godahewa has a unique combination of professional qualifications. He is an Engineer, A Chartered Management Accountant and also a Chartered Marketer. He also holds an MBA. Currently the CEO of one of the largest financial institutions of the country, Nalaka has top level management experience in four different industries ; Telecommunication, Apparel, FMCG and Insurance. His international work experiences include Vietnam, Singapore, Madagascar, India and Indonesia. A member of the board of study of Imperial College of Business Studies, Nalaka has been contributing to the field of business education for more than 15 years. An in-depth understanding of theoretical concepts combined with practical experience at the top most level of several organisations locally as well as internationally makes it possible for Nalaka to teach the subject in an amazingly simplified manner that students understand, enjoy and remember. “I lecture for business strategy because I enjoy teaching this subject. I ensure my students also enjoy learning the subject because when they have fun learning it they remember it easily. We use group discussions, assignments, presentations and various other innovative methods to get the best out of class room time. At the end of the course our students are well prepared for the business strategy paper so that they can spend more time studying for the other subjects” Nalaka explains.
Pravin Madawala - Integrated Management ( Managerial Upper)
Praveen Madawala has an MBA from Edith Cowan University and BSc (Hons) in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of London (External programme). Currently he is the Country Manager of TNS Sri Lanka which is part of the largest custom research company in the world with operations in over 70 countries. He also accounts for over 7 years of managerial experience in multinationals. He started his career at Ceylon Tobacco Company where he was the head of research before joining TNS and the head of the company. Praveen is also involved in global strategy development for the TNS group. Being part of a marketing research company his practical knowledge and experience across many sectors such FMCG, Telecom, Banking, Social and Agriculture with the category leaders. Whilst consulting many of these companies on marketing and corporate strategy, he is also involved in HR strategy development where is has worked with large companies such as CTC, Dialog, Fonterra, Suntel, Holcim etc. Praveen believes that teaching is an art and the key to success is simplicity and relevance. “I believe that success of a lecturer should be measured by results in a holistic perspective. What I mean by this is whilst ensuring that our students pass the exams we should also give them that extra confidence and knowledge that would make them a progress fast in their chosen field" – says Praveen.
Indika Liyangewage- Organisational Management (Managerial Lower)
Indika Liyangewage is a Graduate of University of Sri Jayawardanepura and also a professionally qualified accountant. Having started his career at MAS Holdings and with exposure to both local and overseas operations in different management functions, Indika finally selected Human Resources Management as his preferred line of specialization. Currently he is attached to Odel Pvt Ltd as the HR manager. A popular lecturer for CIMA at the Imperial College of Business Studies, Indika uses his own experience in Sri Lanka and Vietnam functioning as an accountant, a planning manager, an operations manager, and finally as an HR manager to explain the practical aspects of the OM & IS subject which is the first step in managerial studies for CIMA students. Indika points out that his style of teaching is highly exam focused. “ At the end of the day students want to pass the examination and we must facilitate them by teaching them on only the syllabus contents but also the right examination approach. Imperial College constantly strives to improve the quality of education beyond industry standards. I take pride in the fact that at Imperial College we have maintained over 85% success rate for OM & IS subject during the last 3 sessions. We want to improve this further this session” he says.
More information about the lecture panel and facilities of Imperial College can be obtained by visiting www.icbsgroup.com’ or by calling 4515253 for the assistance of a student counsellor.
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Mario Fonseka to lead TOPCIMA at Imperial College
[Sunday Times – 27th January 2008]
Imperial College which has been making great headway in its professional education delivery in recent years, and in particular in its CIMA tutoring, now boasts of having one of the most experienced and sought after panel of CIMA tutors in the country in its team of professional tutors. The latest addition comes in the form of Mr. Mario Fonseka, who has been lecturing for CIMA since 1994.
Mario is a Fellow member of both CIMA, UK as well as the Society of Certified Management Accountants (SCMA) in Sri Lanka. He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), UK. He also holds a MBA from the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM), University of Sri Jayewardenepura, where he also topped his batch while also securing a ‘Merit’ Pass. |
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Mario counts over fifteen years of experience in the corporate sector in different roles ranging from Head of Finance, Head of Corporate Planning, to finally being a General Manager of a value added export marketing organisation. He then launched on his own, and jointly set up a corporate training and management consulting outfit known as ‘Kaizen Plus’ where he functions as a Director to date. He has successfully conducted numerous corporate training programmes for some of the leading companies in this country, and has also conducted several public training programmes in different topics coming under business management. He is also the first Sri Lankan to have lectured for CIMA students outside of Sri Lanka. Today, he lectures in three other countries besides Sri Lanka (viz., Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong) where he continues to conduct short revision courses for CIMA students. Mario is undoubtedly one of the most sought after lecturers for the final paper in CIMA, namely the ‘TOPCIMA’ subject, both here in Sri Lanka as well as in the South East Asian region where he has been consistently lecturing since 2003. Mario, is the only Sri Lankan tutor who can boast of having produced country prize winners in TOPCIMA, in four different countries. (viz., Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong) We also learnt that with a bit of help from the internet and e-mail, he has also helped students as far as in UK, Australia and in the Middle East to also complete this final hurdle in CIMA with his highly effective ‘e-tutoring’ mode for those students with whom he cannot have direct classroom contact .
He is extremely popular among his TOPCIMA students for his ‘simple but effective’ approach in the TOPCIMA subject which has helped many a student, who had previously struggled with this final paper, to finally complete the CIMA examinations and start calling themselves as fully qualified management accountants. When asked him about his phenomenal success in tutoring for the ‘TOPCIMA’ paper, he simply states that it has all been due to his effort to try and ‘get inside the mind of the examiner’ which has helped him to develop his highly exam focussed strategy for this final examination in CIMA. Given that this is a case based examination, he goes on to state that a student’s success is largely dependent upon understanding he/she gains about the examiners requirement in this paper and then being able to cater to it, as opposed ‘taking in’ so much of information like in other subjects, which have a syllabus content.
The Head of Academic Affairs Mr Pravith Rajaratnam points out that Imperial College strive to improve the quality of education beyond industry standards “Imperial College maintained 100% pass rate for TOPCIMA subject at the last CIMA examination. We can still do better by attracting a tutor of Mario’s calibre to lead TOPCIMA at Imperial College as we are aiming for a few more World and Sri Lankan prizes this session. More information about our lecture panel and facilities can be obtained by visiting www.icbsgroup.com’ he said.
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Professional qualifications can help finding a well paid job and progress fast in your career. [Daily News – 8th May 2007]
Dr Nalaka Godahewa has a unique combination of professional qualifications. He is an Engineer, A Chartered Management Accountant and a Chartered Marketer. He also holds an MBA. Currently the CEO of Sri Lanka Insurance, Nalaka has gained top level management experience in four different industries and three different countries. A member of the board of study of Imperial College of Business Studies, Nalaka has been contributing to the field of business education for more than 15 years. In this interview Nalaka shares his views on the growing importance of professional qualifications in Sri Lanka. |
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Q: Is it correct to say that some employers to prefer candidates with professional qualifications over others when recruiting youngsters to the organisation?
Yes there is truth in it and there are reasons behind it. It is a common complain today among the employers that young recruits lack basic skills necessary to succeed in the corporate world. The issues mostly highlighted include lack of business literacy, weak numerical skills, language problems and poor work attitude. Today eemployers are looking for candidates with strong personal skills and a broad awareness of the business world. Companies do spend money on training their staff but they would like to spend that money productively. When it comes to training they do not want to spend time and money just ironing out the basic issues I highlighted above. They would rather spend training the new employees on real business needs. This is possible only if basic business awareness is created at the school level or University level. Unfortunately our current education system does not address these fundamental needs of the corporate world. On the other hand most of the professional qualifications provide students with a more rounded exposure addressing a variety of needs. Naturally this results in more and more employers preferring students with professional qualifications to be trained for managerial positions because such candidates can adjust to the business environment faster.
Q: So what is the solution for this problem? Isn’t this trend unfair by the students who pursue general studies?
There is nothing called fair or unfair when it comes to business reality. If you are smarter you can plan ahead and win it all. The world is getting increasingly competitive and today’s school leavers have no time to waste before deciding their future career paths. Those who find the right path early usually take a lead while others lag behind. Life is full of choices and it is not a must that everybody pursues a career in the corporate world. But in the event you decide to be employed in a business organisation and seek a managerial career then you need to make the right moves from day one. That is why business awareness is fast becoming in important tool for those smart kids aiming for better paid jobs early in their careers. Today most of the school leavers and university graduates step into the complex corporate world, totally unprepared to face the challenges that will be thrown at them. At the same time those who are business savvy can easily shine amongst the rest. One of the easiest ways to impress your superiors early in your career is to demonstrate your understanding of the business world and its inherent realities.
Q : So what exactly you mean by business awareness for young recruits ?
Businesses awareness can be defined in many ways. But in this particular case it means as to what extent a young girl or a boy applying for a job understands the company and the respective industry. Also important is the ability to view events and circumstances related to the current period from a business perspective. Employers are usually impressed by candidates who are interested enough in the position that they apply for and have researched it thoroughly.
So, before you apply for a well-paid job, there are a few questions about the company you should try to find answers to:
- What business is the company in?
- Does the organization have a mission statement? What does it say?
- What branches or partner organizations does it have?
- What are the products or services of the company?
- Who are its key competitors?
- To what kind of customers the company targets for its products and services?
- Was there any press coverage recently about the company and for what reason?
- Is there any new technology or legislation that might have an impact on its business?
- How is the company performing in relation to competition?
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The more information you can gather about the organization the more equipped you will be to convince employers of your business acumen. When you’re business savvy you need not fear that awkward moment at interview where recruiters ask, ‘Have you got any questions for us?’ because you’ll have all the knowledge you need to ask the right questions and simply wow them. Make an impression by asking intelligent questions about the growth, competition, recent innovations and development plans of their company and watch their eyes light up.
Q : Apart from getting the job how can business awareness help some ones career progress ?
Business awareness helps not only to secure a good job but it also helps you to progress faster in your career as you may save the burden of the additional training for your employer. Furthermore you will be in a better position to actually understand the job expectations well and start delivering value to the company. Working in the corporate world is very different to studying in school or university. Even those with best grades in school or university can fail miserably at work if they do not understand the realities of the business world. In education you are measured using a particular set of parameters. At work you are measured using a different set of parameters. If you have sufficient business understanding you can identify these measurement criteria early and change your behaviors accordingly. That way business awareness can give you an edge over your counterparts in terms career progress.
Q : How could one can gain business awareness ? .
If you are interested there are enough sources of information. Think carefully as to what information you required. You must decide whether you want a broad picture or more specific information. Then consider where you could obtain these information.
- If you are applying for a job, remember to visit the organization’s website. If you can’t find enough information, contact reception and ask if they can send you the company brochure and any other information that may be helpful.
- Develop the habit of reading business news even though you may still be a school student or a university undergraduate. There are also business magazines that could be of help. Initially you may find it annoying going through loads of complicated articles and news items but soon you will start appreciating what is going on.
- Since you live in the internet age online search engines surely make it simple to find relevant information. Most newspaper websites also let you search by key words or dates to find the stories relevant to the company you’re researching. You can then search key words for the industry so that you keep up-to-date with any general developments.
- If you know anyone already in the respective industry then talk to them! Find out what developments they can tell you about. Your course tutors and lecturers are also good people to turn to; they want you to do well and often have lots of insider information that they can divulge.
Mankind developed to this level because we were inquisitive by nature. This is another simple rule governing our world. If you are curious to know what is happening around you and continue to seek information and knowledge without barriers you can always stay ahead of the pack.
Q: Why do you think those with professional qualifications are more employable ?
It is quite simple. Professional qualifications prepare you for employment. It is not necessarily for a particular job but for a function like Accountancy, Marketing, IT, HRM, Engineering, Legal or Banking and in each one of these fields there are a large number of employment opportunities. Once you have a professional qualification you can always start at a higher level in the organization and be groomed for a managerial position over time. University education on the other hand is expected to provide a much border set of social skills, wider knowledge and analytical skills. But unfortunately our university system has not changed for a long time and as a result not up-to-date n to cater to the needs of the society and specifically the needs of the corporate world. In my personal opinion it is always good if one can have a combination of both a university degree and a professional qualification so you can enjoy the benefits of both. But in Sri Lanka vast majority of A/L students do not gain university access. So why not take time gain a professional qualification if you intend to find a well paid job corporate world and embark on a great career? It is an investment that always pays dividends.
Q : What are the options available to Sri Lankan students to gain professional qualifications?
In Sri Lanka, after finishing O/L or A/L, our students have to wait a long period before proceeding to the next step in the traditional educational path. It may be highly advisable therefore to make use of this time to study for a professional qualification. The recognition for different professional qualifications varies by country. So you need to first decide what you want in life. Those who intend to go abroad for work should look for qualifications like IT, Engineering, Medicine etc which have a greater appeal abroad. If you would like to build your own practice then you may consider becoming Doctor Lawyer or an Architect. If you intend to stay in Sri Lanka and develop a good corporate career then two professional qualifications that have a greater acceptance amongst employers are Accountancy and Marketing. In both these streams there are different institutes offering qualifications and it is up to the student do a proper evaluation and select the most appropriate option.
Q: Don’t you think some of these foreign professional qualifications such as CIMA or CIM are quite expensive for our students
Financial affordability could be a limiting factor for some students when it comes to foreign professional qualifications compared to local qualifications. But they are still far cheaper than applying for a foreign university degree which is fast becoming a trend among our students. So one has to make a decision as to how focus you want to be when you spend on education. What matter is whether your investment brings a guaranteed result when it comes to employability? It is also important to be reminded that one need not actually have the finances needed to support the full program if you enroll for a recognized professional qualification such as CIMA or CIM. You should look for employment in a good organization with part qualification. Most of these companies would support and reimburse your professional educational costs so you can continue your education while working. What is important is to start the process. The rest will fall in line. |
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| Interview Skills for young professionals [Sunday Times – 9th December 2007] |
Indika Liyanahewage is a professionally qualified accounted who has chosen HRD as his preferred career path. A graduate from University of Sri Jayawardenapura, Indika completed CIMA with flying colors before joining the management team of MAS holdings. He has gained experience in operations management, planning production and HRD in Sri Lanka as well as in Vietnam. Indika is a popular CIMA lecturer at Imperial College of Business Studies where he specializes in ‘organizational management and integrated management subjects'
The importance of interview skills
I once asked the HR director of a reputed multinational company, how many candidates they usually interview before recruiting a potential management trainee. The answer was average thirty candidates per interview. I asked whether the selected candidates are usually more qualified than the ones not selected. He said normally all applications go through a strict screening process and therefore all candidates called for interviews usually have the necessary academic qualifications. |
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Then why 29 out 30 usually fail to get the job? The answer is quite simple. It is because most candidates fail to impress at the interview.
Sri Lanka has a great education culture. Most parents encourage their children to study. But not many have realized the importance of learning the interview skills to make the final hurdle easy.
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The purpose of a recruitment interview
The interview is a mutual exchange of information between an employer and you, as a candidate for a position. The primary objectives of an interview are to:
- Supplement the information on your CV
- Show that you understand your strengths and weaknesses and have a sense of direction
- Enable the employer to evaluate your personality and attitudes in terms of the demands of the organization and the position
- Allow you to gain information about the organization and the job that is not available through other sources
- Give you and the employer an opportunity to discuss further opportunities where you might fit in.
First impressions
Research indicate that, on average, an interviewer decides to hire a candidate within the first the first 5 1/2 minutes of the meeting the candidate though the interview it self may take much longer. Therefore your success or failure at the interview depends heavily on the first impression you create in the mind of the person interviewing you. Here are a few things you should keep in mind.
- Be punctual. Arrive ten minutes early for the interview to allow yourself time to collect your thoughts.
- Take the opportunity to observe the work environment. Keep your eyes and ears open.
- Look neat, clean, and well groomed. Select proper clothing for the type of organization interviewing you.
- Remember to turn off cell phones, electronic organizers, and pagers before the interview.
- Greet each person with respect and professionalism. When you shake hands, make eye contact and smile.
- Handshakes should be firm but not aggressive; try to match the grip of the interviewer.
- It is good etiquette to wait to sit down until the interviewer invites you to do so.
Many interviewers will begin the interview with some "small talk" to help you relax. This may seem irrelevant to the position, but you are still being evaluated. Be sure to demonstrate a positive attitude.
Preparing for the interview
To impress an employer, you must be well prepared and understand the value of what you have to offer. To demonstrate effectively your suitability for the position and your value to the organization, you must know yourself.
Review your self-assessment information and your CV. Make sure your CV covers sufficient information about your self and be prepared to give examples to substantiate all claims in your CV.
Some interviewers want to see how you have grown over time. In addition to your achievements they may want to hear about your mistakes in life and what lessons you learned from them. Everybody does mistakes. What is important is learning from the mistakes so that you do not repeat them.
You must be familiar with the position and the organization so that you can demonstrate your interest in and fit for the job. You can impress the interviewer by referring to the notes you made as you reviewed print and online materials and the people you spoke with preparing for the interview. It shows that you are systematic and plan ahead.
Handling questions.
One of the most commonly used interviewing techniques is giving an opportunity to the candidate to start the discussion by giving a short brief of him self or her self. You should be prepared to handle this well. However the answer should not take more than ninety seconds which is the typical attention span of the person who will be conducting the interview.
The "PAWS" model is a useful method for answering classic interview questions such as "Tell me about yourself." Here are some examples of what you can talk about.
- Profile of yours. Mention how you became interested in this field and perhaps point out any personal interests, projects and extracurricular activities that further demonstrate your commitment to the field
- Academic back ground. Degrees/diplomas/certifications and other related training and professional development initiatives/courses that you participated in that would be relevant
- Work experiences if any that would be related to the job. It could even be unpaid training assignments.
- Skills. Refer to specific technical skills that relate to the position or field
If you answer a question and there is no prompt response or follow-up question try to remain calm and collected. Silence may not be a negative sign; the employer could be taking time to process and record your answer and/or be considering the next question.
Not having enough work experience
At an interview you may be told that you lack experience. You need to handle this situation carefully and diplomatically. The interviewer knew that you didn’t have experience when it was decided to call you for an interview based on your CV. Still they called you because they were interested in you. So don’t just give up.
Convey your interest in the position and indicate that you look forward to a long-term association with the company.
Show them that you are willing to learn and also willing to learn fast so that you could contribute positively to the organization.
Tell the interviewer about any relevant courses/workshops, volunteer/internship experiences, and/or extracurricular activities that may help you to learn the job faster.
Salary
At one point in the interview you are likely to be questioned about your salary expectations. Your answer is very critical as it can decide your fate.
Research before going for the interview what are the typical salary scales for the position you applied.
Know your value. Do not over estimate and also do not under estimate. Best thing is to mention a reasonable salary bracket that fits the expectation.
Mention that the salary is negotiable while you mention your expectations. Good companies do not exploit you. They already know what they want to pay the chosen candidate.
Ending the interview
When it appears that the interviewer is about to end the interview, you should make sure you have covered certain points before you leave the room.
Ask some questions. Make sure you understand the process that will occur before a candidate is selected for the job. For example is it the final interview or will there be another round of interviews.
Ask the interviewer politely when you can expect to hear about a decision or ask when you should make an inquiry as a follow-up.
Enthusiastically express your interest in the position unless you are sure that you are not Interested and thank the interviewer for interviewing you.
Interview evaluation
After an interview take some time to reflect and evaluate how well you handled the situation. There may be learning’s that will help you in future. Remember we all learn everyday from our experiences. |
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| Have you thought about planning your career? [The Island – 29th November 2007] |
Indika Liyangewage is a Graduate of University of Sri Jayawardanepura and also a professionally qualified accountant. Having started his career at MAS Holdings and with exposure to both local and overseas operations in different management functions, Indika finally selected Human Resources Management as his preferred line of specialization. Currently he is attached to Odel Pvt Ltd as the HR manager. A popular lecturer for CIMA at the Imperial College of Business Studies, Indika shares some of views about a hot topic amongst youngsters today ‘career planning’.
Planning your career
We live in a highly competitive world. Whether you like it or not life is a race. Those who start early usually have an advantage. If you start late you have to run much faster to catch up and take a lead.
If you have completed your O/Ls or A/Ls and wondering what to do next in life it is the time you should start thinking about your future. Not all of us are luck to have inherited enough wealth to look after our future and therefore need to earn a living. Obviously all of you would like to do that by embarking on a good career.
So the question comes as to how you should plan your career. There are many people who will provide you with advice and if you are smart you should listen to all these views and then decide exactly what to do. I am also trying to assist you with a few thoughts which you may want to consider. Let me call them the two basic rules in career planning.
The first rule of career planning: Do not plan your career.
The world is an incredibly complex place and everything is changing all the time. In reality you can't plan your career because you have no idea what's going to happen in the future. You have no idea what industries you'll enter, what companies you'll work for, what roles you'll have, where you'll live, or what you will ultimately contribute to the world. You'll change, industries will change, the world will change, and you can't possibly predict any of it.
Trying to plan your career is an exercise in futility that will only serve to frustrate you, and to blind you to the really significant opportunities that life will throw your way. Therefore career planning is in fact a career limiting exercise. The sooner you come to grips with that, the better.
The world we live in keeps throwing us opportunities to grab. The opportunities fall loosely into two buckets: those that present themselves to you, and those that you go out and create. Both will be hugely important to your career.
Opportunities that present themselves to you are the consequence of being in the right place at the right time. They tend to present themselves when you're not expecting it. They come and go quickly. If you don't jump all over an opportunity, someone else generally will and it will vanish.
A huge part of what people would like to refer to as "career planning" is being continuously alert to opportunities that present themselves to you spontaneously, when you happen to be in the right place at the right time.
The second types of opportunities are those you seek out and create. Unfortunately there aren’t many people who actively go out seeking opportunities despite the fact most of them know in their gut what they'd really like to do. Don't be one of those people. Life is way too short.
The second rule of career planning: Focus on developing skills
What is more important in career planning is deciding what you need to do and creating the background for you to succeed. Ask your self the question whether you have the necessary skills for your desired career path? If you want to pursuer a particular line of career obviously you need to gain the necessary knowledge and skills for that.
So how do you gain the skills necessary to support your desired career ? It may involve following a course, reading on your own, practicing, learning from other successful people in that line or even experimenting on your own. If you don't have, will you be able to acquire these skills through work programs, tuition or experience? If you like singing but cannot hold one musical note, then perhaps you should reconsider or decide whether it is worth all the training. Look at other aspects such as your age, gender, community, religion, race and the society. This also includes your family and friends and the importance you place on certain values.
What ever the path you select try be really good at what you want to do. Remember, from the dinosaur era to date if there is one single rule that governs the world that is the ‘survival of the fittest’. Therefore develop your self to be one of the best if not the best in your chosen line.
The world is a very interesting place. If you know what you want, and you go for it with maximum energy and drive and passion, the world will often reconfigure itself around you much more quickly and easily than you would think.
Indika can be contacted by visiting website www.icbsgroup.com . He specializes in organizational management.
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ICMA Australia to promote its programs in Sri Lanka - [Article – The Island 14th June 2006] |
The Institute of Certified Management Accountants in Australia signed an MOU with Imperial College of Business Studies last week to promote the CMA(Australia) qualification in Sri Lanka. The MOU was signed by Professor Janek Ratnatunge representing ICMA Australia with Nalaka Godahewa and Kapila Dodamgoda the Course Directors for the CMA Program.
Professor Janek Ratnatunge of Monash University who is a Member of the Executive Committee of ICMA Australia , was in Sri Lanka to conduct a 3 day Strategic Level Module for 35 candidates who are sitting for CMA finals. The program which was conducted for the 11th time in Sri Lanka was organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka. During his visit Professor Ratnatunge also made a presentation on ‘Budgeting for Integrated Marketing Communication’ at the Chartered Institute of Marketing on the 8th June and it was attended by more than 100 senior marketers. |
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“CMA(Australia) is an increasingly popular professional qualification amongst business managers who want to enhance their knowledge on management accountancy” said professor Ratnatunge at the signing ceremony. “We are already offering the course in several countries including Australia, Europe , Africa, Hongkong, Philiplenes, Middle East and India. The provider institutes are selected very carefully to ensure the quality of delivery. In Sri Lanka only ICBS and the Institute of Chartered Accountants are accredited by us to conduct the program”
The CMA( Australia) qualification has three levels of membership explains according to Professor Ratnatunge. “The graduate member, associate member and full CMA. A recognize non accounting professional qualifications are entitled for certain exemptions at the graduate GMA level. For example a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing can sit for only the final stage of GMA and there after apply for associate membership of the institute. You need to take two more strategic level subjects later to become a CMA. Our qualifications are recognized by several reputed MBA programs. For example a CMA can apply for exemptions from 4 modules if they want to pursue an MBA at Monash University. It is a saving of almost Rs 1 million” he added.
Dr Nalaka Godahewa said that ICBS will be starting the next course for CMA in August. “There is a big demand for a reputed Australian Management Accountancy qualification in Sri Lanka. We already have a large number of non accounting professionals wanting to join the program. On the request of the Chartered Institute of Marketing we have decided to give preference in the next batch to Chartered Marketers who are seeking multi qualifications, as we can accommodate only a limited number per batch” Mr Godahewa explained.
“ICBS has been selected to promote the CMA(Australia) due to our ability to attract qualified professionals with industry experience as lecturers” says Mr Kapila Dodamgoda. “That has been always our strength. All our senior lecturers are practicing professionals who are up to date with market changes” he added. |
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The University of Anglia Ruskin of UK and the London Metropolitan University recently appointed ICBS as their local representative. With this opportunities will be open for ICBS students following CIMA and CIM courses to pursue further studies in UK.
Both Universities will be offering attractive exemptions schemes for fully qualified and part qualified students of CIMA and CIM to follow post graduate and undergraduate degree programs at the respective universities.
Discussions are also underway to introduce an MBA program and a MA in Marketing in Sri Lanka through these Universities. |
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Nov 2005 CIMA Strategic Level Examination First and Second Prizes to ICBS Students - [The Island- 07 th April 2006] |
ICBS students Tilanka and Tiwanka Hewage won the number one and number two positions for the highest aggregate marks at the strategic level at the recently concluded CIMA examinations.
ICBS, a leading business school located at No 3, St Kilda’s Lane in the heart of Bambalapitiya, has been a driving force in CIMA education since its inception. “During a short period of 3 years we have established ourselves as a leader in CIMA education, producing over 30 Sri Lankan prize winners and 7 World prize winners,” says full time lecturer Pravinth Rajaratnam, who himself has been a winner of a World prize and two Sri Lankan prizes at CIMA examinations. The academic achievements of ICBS were highly commended by the CIMA International President Mr Ian Christison during his recent visit to Sri Lanka. |
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“Preparing our students not only for examinations, but also for successful professional careers is our motive” says senior faculty member of ICBS, Nalaka Godahewa. “That is why we have brought together a team of highly qualified professionals who have made significant achievements in their own careers to teach our students. Many of them have also won Sri Lanka and World Prizes as CIMA students. So they are well positioned to guide the students using their own experiences.”
“ICBS is currently expanding its facilities to support the fast growing student base” according to the operations manager Nisha Hathiramani. “By June 2006 we will be ready with several additional classroom facilities to enrol 3000 students per year” she announced proudly. |
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“ICBS has got the right mix of ingredients to successfully promote CIMA education in Sri Lanka ” says Mr Upali Ratnayake, the Regional Director of CIMA. He made these comments at the launch ceremony of the new ICBS facility on the 23 rd November 2005 . According to Mr Ratnayake, CIMA is one of the most recognised accountancy qualifications in the world today. The membership in Sri Lanka has now grown over 2500 and there are over 10,000 registered CIMA students in the country. “ICBS has got a reputed panel of lecturers and a well equipped facility at a very convenient location in the heart of Colombo 3. You are doing the right thing by expanding so that more students can benefit from these facilities” he added.
The uniqueness of ICBS is preparing the students not only for examinations, but also for successful professional careers” observed Sudarshan Senaratne, Past President of CIMA Sri Lanka and also a Director of CIMA UK . “All ICBS lecturers are multi qualified and many of them have won Sri Lanka and World Prizes as CIMA students. Most of them also hold senior management positions at leading business organisations. So they are well positioned to guide the students using their own experiences.”
“During a short period of 3 years ICBS has established itself as the leader in CIMA education, producing 26 Sri Lankan prize winners and 7 World prize winners,” says full time lecturer and course coordinator Pravinth Rajaratnam,who himself has been a winner of a World prize and two Sri Lankan prizes at CIMA examinations. |
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“We continuously strive to raise the benchmark at ICBS” says Senior Lecturer Kapila Dodamgoda. “If we want our students to become successful in their careers then we should create an environment where students are coached not only on the subject matter, but also on high professional standards and values which will distinguish them against others once they are employed,” he said.
ICBS which has a studentship of 1750 will continue to expand its facilities according to the operations manager and program coordinator Nisha Hathiramani . “By January 2006, ICBS will have a totally new look with a lot more additional facilities for students” she announced proudly. |
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CIMA Director of Education praises ICBS for its well balanced panel of lecturers - [Daily Mirror- 24 th November 2005] |
ICBS has got the right focus by increasing the number of experienced lecturers on its panel and also by ensuring that each lecturer specializes in only one of the three educational streams of the CIMA syllabus observed Mr Robert Jelly, Director of Education, CIMA when he visited ICBS on the 23 rd November 2005 . “The lack of focus in teaching is a common problem I observe everywhere and I have been requesting other institutes also to concentrate on this area,” he added.
Mr Robert Jelly makes periodic visits to Sri Lanka to meet the CIMA quality partner institutes to assess the overall progress.
Mr Jelly pointed out that business schools must support CIMA by promoting the computer based examinations even for the strategic and managerial levels. Currently, only Foundation level examinations are conducted in this manner in Sri Lanka . |
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| “As a flexible organisation CIMA is constantly reviewing its products to cater to the needs of the market. Employers of CIMA students find it very difficult when a large number of employees take study leave at the same time to sit for examinations. Imagine the plight of large companies like Unilever, who employ hundreds of CIMA undergraduates. It is the plight of these companies that gave us the idea of computer based examinations, where a student can request for a time slot to sit for the examination rather than us deciding the time that they should do the exam. Large employers can now coordinate with CIMA undergraduates working for them and release them in batches to sit for the examinations,” Mr Jelly explained. According to him the future of business schools will depend on how fast they can adjust to these changing requirements. |
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ICBS makes headway in CIMA education with a difference - [Sunday Leader 6 th November 2005 ] |
“Preparing our students not only for examinations, but also for successful professional careers is our motive” says the senior faculty member of ICBS, Nalaka Godahewa. “That is why we have brought together a team of professionals who have made significant career achievements themselves, as our panel of lecturers. All of our lecturers are multi qualified and many of them have won Sri Lanka and World Prizes when they were CIMA students. So they are well positioned to guide the students using their own experiences.”
Nalaka also points out that it is important for a business school to have strong links with the business community. “Our intention is to get reputed companies to interview our students during their final semester so that the smarter students will be identified for career opportunities even before they graduate” he added.
ICBS, a leading business school located at No 3, St Kilda's Lane in the heart of Bambalapitiya, has been a driving force in CIMA education since its inception. “During a short period of 3 years we have established ourselves as a leader in CIMA education, producing 26 Sri Lankan prize winners and 7 World prize winners,” says full time lecturer and course coordinator Pravinth Rajaratnam, who himself has been a winner of a World prize and two Sri Lankan prizes at CIMA examinations. In November 2004 Thiwanka Hewage, an ICBS student made Sri Lanka proud by becoming the youngest CIMA World prize winner at the age of 16 years. The academic achievements of ICBS were also commended by the CIMA International President Mr Ian Christison during his recent visit to Sri Lanka . |
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In November 2004 CIMA UK recognised the high standards maintained at ICBS by awarding the institute the ‘CIMA Quality Partner Status'. This distinguished accreditation is awarded only to institutes which offer evidence of continuous improvements, high pass rates at examinations and stringent overall quality standards certified by an in depended auditor from UK . In March 2005, ICBS was also awarded the prestigious ISO 9001/2000 quality standard certificate. “We continuously strive to raise the benchmark at ICBS” says Operations Director S.Sivabaskaran. “If we want our students to become successful in their careers then we should create an environment where students are coached not only on the subject matter, but also on high professional standards and values which will distinguish them against others once they are employed,” he said.
ICBS which has a studentship of 1750 is currently expanding its facilities according to the operations manager and program coordinator Nisha Hathiramani . “By January 2006 ICBS will have a totally new look with a lot more additional facilities for students” she announced proudly. |
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CIMA International President commends ICBS for academic contribution - [Sunday Times - 9 th October] |
“Producing 7 CIMA World Prize winners and 26 Sri Lanka prize winners during a short time span of 3 years is a remarkable achievement for ICBS” said Mr Ian Christison, the International President of CIMA during his visit to Sri Lanka . Mr Christison made these remarks at a ceremony held at the Imperial College of Business Studies(ICBS) on the 19th September to award scholarships to 11 CIMA students who have achieved outstanding results at the recently concluded Advanced Level Examination.
ICBS, which is one of the leading professional educational institutes in the country, is a CIMA Quality Partner and also an ISO 9001:2000 approved organisation. “We consider CIMA as our flagship programme as it is one of the most recognised educational qualifications in the country today” says the Operations Director of ICBS, Mr S. Sivabaskaran. “Our recent success at CIMA examinations has been due to two reasons- the dedication of our academic staff and the quality of student support services.”
Mr Christison thanked the CIMA Sri Lanka branch and the business schools for their support in promoting CIMA education in the country. “I would like to see a Sri Lankan becoming the CIMA International President in the near future - Who knows, it could be one of you ! ” he said, addressing students at ICBS. |
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Imperial College of Business Studies is a leading business school in Colombo with over 1500 student population. Having won two world prizes and three Sri Lankan prizes at CIMA examinations the Director od Academic Affairs of ICBS Pravinth Rajaratnam is in an ideal position to guide the students for success at examinations. A popular lecturer who maintains an out standing pass rate for his students Pravinth Rajaratnam was a finalist at the prestigious ‘CIMA tutor of the year 2007’ awards ceremony making Sri Lanka proud. The following is an Interview with Mr Pravinth Rajaratnam.
Q :How do you see the demand for professional education growing in Sri Lanka?
A : With limited access to local Universities the demand for professional educational qualifications is greater than ever. Less than 10% of those who pass advance level gain access to Universities. Of the balance around 6000 join foreign Universities. Vast majority opt to stay in Sri Lanka and seek professional qualifications. For example CIMA, which is one of the most sought after qualification has around 14,000 registered students in the country. We at Imperial College of Business Studies are also doubling our capacity in 2008 to support the rapidly increasing demand”
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Q :What are courses you are offering at Imperial College?
A :We currently offer CIMA (UK), CMA(Australia) and CIM(UK) courses at our institute. We just started enrolling the new batches for CIMA and CIM and see numbers are much higher than we anticipated already. The student base seems has grown almost 200% during the last two seasons and we expect the trend to continue. This is a clear sign of more students realizing the value of gaining a professional qualification at the beginning of their careers”
Q: How do you differentiate ICBS from competitors?
A :We are a Quality Partner of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in UK and also an Accredited Provider Institute of Chartered Institute of Marketing. There are only a few Business Schools in Sri Lanka officially recognized by these parent Institutes. We take pride in the quality of education we provide and that is one reason we are today one of the fastest growing business schools in Sri Lanka. ICBS has always been known for its consistent high pass rates at examinations which is much higher than industry average. For example, last three consecutive sessions for TOP CIMA which is the final stage of CIMA we maintained 90% -100% pass rate which probably is the highest in the Industry. For other subjects also we have been maintaining 62% -66% pass rate for the last 3 years. This shows the quality of our panel of lecturers. Each and an every one of them have been brilliant in their own academic achievements. We have a lot of world and Sri Lankan price winners in both CIMA, CMA and CIM panels. In 2005 we produced the youngest world price winner of CIMA. Thiwanka Hewage who made that rare achievement is also now part of our CIMA lecture panel.
Q: You claim to have the most comprehensive panel for both CIMA and CIM. What do you mean ?
A: We do have a wider panel than most business schools who depend on one or two lecturers to teach all the subjects. But we have several highly qualified professionals as our academic staff focusing on different subjects. Our unique strength is that all our lecturers are senior managers in the corporate world. Our industry network therefore helps us finding good job placements for our students after they complete their studied. It is important for our students to learn from lecturers with sound work experience. The exams papers are usually designed for working students in UK. Some Sri Lankan students have a disadvantage of not having work experience when answering questions. We address this issue by exposing our students to lecturers who come from professional backgrounds.
Q: Do you encourage extra curricular activities at Imperial College or just focus on education?
A: It is important for a youngster to have a balanced personality in order to succeed in career and life. At Imperial College we try to create an environment where students can get engaged in activities where their leadership and organizing skills are developed. Our mission is nurturing tomorrow leaders. So we should focus on areas where students can develop their leadership skills. The student council is one forum where they can try out their leadership and organizing skills. They organize sports events, musical shows, student trips and even community projects. For example the Bhatiya and Santhush Concert, the Ethno Party held in last year was a great success and it was attended by over 4000 people. This year we the student council organized a six a side cricket tournament where two teams from CIMA and CIM students reached finals. Next year they want to open this competition for other educational institutes as well. From conceptualization to final delivery everything is organized by the students. We are very proud of their achievement.
Q: Do you intend to offer anymore courses at Imperial College apart from CIMA and CIM ?
A: Our intention is to grow into a fully fledged business school offering a range of products. Imperial College is currently conducting courses for two UK qualifications CIMA and CIM. The Institute of Certified Management accountants in Australia also have appointed ICBS as the only accredited provider institute to conduct its courses in Sri Lanka. We are also linked to one of the best UK universities Anglia Rusking, who offers exemptions for ICBS students to follow Graduate and Post Graduate Degree programs in UK. A CIMA passed finalized can straight away enroll for a Post Graduate Degree Program in Finance at Anglia Ruskin University. Those who have completed CIM can opt for a Masters Degree in Marketing. Even if the Student is part qualified significant exemptions are available for them to enroll for University Degree program during the second or Third Year depending on how many CIMA or CIM subjects they have completed. This way a student seeking a foreign degree can save a substantial amount of cost by opting to study CIMA or CIM at Imperial College. |
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At 19 years of age both Thilanka Hewage and Thiwanka Hewage already have significant academic achievements to their credit. By the time the duo finished their A/L at Asian International School with flying colors they had already completed all stages of CIMA examinations. They gained professional qualifications in management accountancy studying at the Imperial College of Business Studies (ICBS) in Colombo.
Thilanka and Thiwanka have many academic achievements at ICBS. It was Thiwanka who became the youngest ever world prize winner for CIMA at the age of 16. One and half years later his brother Thilanka scored the highest aggregate marks for Sri Lanka at the Strategic level of CIMA final examinations. Between the two Thilanka and Thiwanka have shared five Sri Lanka prizes and two world prizes joining the long list of prize winners produced by ICBS over the years.
Thilanka is already qualified in both CIMA and CIM. While Thiwanka having completed CIMA has decided to focus on financial stream and is fast progressing with CFA and ACCA examinations. |
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Both have obtained diplomas for Information Technology once again with outstanding results.
Having completed CIMA together, Thiwanka and and Thilanka are already on the course of developing professional careers at two reputed business organizations MAS holdings and Standard Chartered Bank. While continuing their academic interests by pursuing further studies both brothers have decided to join the academic panel of Imperial College of Business Studies. Today the students at ICBS have the opportunity of learning from these two very bright youngsters about their secrets in passing examinations. Thilanka and Thiwanka shared some of their ideas with the paper.
Q: Both of you have been exceptional in studies from school days. What makes it so easy for you to score well at examinations?
A: When it comes to knowledge most students are the same in a class but the difference is in the application at examinations. Passing examinations is not difficult if you are focused in what you are doing. You need to know what really matters in getting high marks and concentrate on them. We normally try to understand what the examiner is looking for and deliver to his need without spending too much time writing what we would like to talk about.
Q: What is the reason that you have decided to start lecturing so early?
A: When you have a commitment to the students you are forced to continue your own studies. That way lecturing helps one to stay up-to-date. Also it is always a pleasure to share our knowledge with students. Not long ago we were students too and we looked forward to listen to quality lecturers who were knowledgeable, well prepared and committed. Most of them were successful professionals who took up lecturing as a part time passion and they did a wonderful job in teaching us. We would like to do the same with our students.
Q : You have selected ICBS as the place where you want to lecturer though you have many requests from other institutes to join them. Any particular reason for that?
A: Obviously we are attached to the place we studied and that is one reason. Secondly Imperial College is an institute with a vision. The management wants to establish the institute as the leader in business education in Sri Lanka by delivering a high quality teaching which is constantly improved. This is inline with our own personal philosophy where we would like to excel in everything we do. So we decided to be with the Imperial College.
Q: With several professional qualifications already in the bag which direction do you want your own career to move?
A: In management you have the choice of being a specialist or a generalist. Either way there are many opportunities available for those who are ambitious, set personal goals, work according to a plan and committed for a cause. Both of us have started working and we would like to take some time before deciding exactly which way our careers should move. We do not have fixed ideas as to how our futures should shape. We are willing to explore the opportunities that life will throw at us. But we will continue to develop our knowledge and skills in areas that will matter.
Q: What is your advice to the O/L and A/L students who are thinking of pursuing a professional qualification such as CIMA?
Our advice to any body who would like to gain a professional qualification is not to waste time and finish your basic education fast. Some people are happy with one qualification but some others pursue their studies further. Once you have a professional qualification in your bag you can start life confidently because you are recognized and respected. Earlier you gain your qualification the more time you have to plan your career. What is important is getting employed fast and also starting your career at a reputed organization. Name of a strong company on your CV can take your career a long way.
Q: I am sure ICBS must be proud to have two of its brightest past student on its lecturing panel. What you your plans for your students.
A : As mentioned earlier both of us have started lecturing because we are passionate about it. So we will definitely be committed to what we do. The success of anything can only be measured with results. The success of a lecturer is measured by the pass rate of students. Imperial College already has a reputation for high pass rates. Over that last few years it has always maintained pass rates of more than 60% which is above industry average. We intend to work hard and make our own contributions to improve it further. |
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