Sri Lanka participates in JA COY competition 2012 for Asia Pacific region

The Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide Company of the Year (COY) 2012 Competition Asia Pacific is currently in progress in Jakarta, Indonesia from 15 – 17 February.

The Competition is JA’s   annual celebration of the achievements of   the JA Company Program Participants throughout Asia Pacific.

Assessment of student presentations and interviews will take place at the Binus International University’s Joseph Wibowo Centre for Advanced Learning.  Eighteen Student Companies from eleven countries will vie for this prestigious title and the Fedex Access Award at this Business Competition and Learning Experience.   

The products and services marketed by the Companies will be showcased at a Trade Fair which will be open to the public.  The participant countries are Sri Lanka China, Guam, Hongkong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Turkmenistan.

Students from 15 – 19 will be eligible for participation. Maximum number of participants is five per company and each JA member /franchise holder can nominate two companies to represent their country.

Young Entrepreneurs Sri Lanka, (YESL) the franchise holder for Junior Achievement Worldwide nominated two companies from Richmond College, Galle, Sri Lanka to represent the country at this event. The selection was made based on their performance and all JA/YESL selection criteria were strictly adhered to by the panel of judges.  

The Richmondites stayed ahead of a number of other competing school companies during the local competition for the National Awards - the results of which will be announced shortly.  

The Com Rich  Company of Richmond College comprise of K.L.R.C. Lekamwasam (President), W.A.K. Sheha Chamod Alwis (Secretary), D.L. Sandun Sankaja (Finance Director)  Pasindu Malaka (CSR Director) and Sehan de Silva (IT Director).

The Pres - Rich Company (Richmond College) members are G.A. Udara Shrimal (President), Nirangana Rathnayake (Secretary), Thilina Chamara (Human Resource Director), Chathura  Jayaminda (Production Director) and Sankalpa Udaranga, (Marketing Manager).

Samanmalee Weerasekera, Teacher-in-Charge YESL Program, of Richmond College is also participating in the COY.

Deshabandu Patrick Amarasinghe, Founder President, Young Entrepreneurs Sri Lanka and Rashinda Hapuarachchi of YESL represent the Organisation at this event.

“The Richmondites have performed extremely well at national level and I have every confidence that they will acquit themselves very creditably in the extremely competitive environment of the COY and do Sri Lanka proud,” said Deshabandu Amarasinghe in a pre-departure statement.

Stringent standards will be applied at COY to select the champions.  The competition will have five stages: Stage 1 - Written JA Company Report, Stage 2 - Commercial video, Stage 3 - Business Presentation, Stage 4 - Trade Fair Booth, Stage 5 - Interview with the Panel of Judges. Key assessment points will include overall written presentation, overall business performance (e.g. marketing, finance), creativity, relevance and content, delivery technique and team spirit.