SLIM awards best performers at annual certification ceremony

The annual certification ceremony of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) was held on 11 September, at the Grand Ballroom of Waters Edge, Battaramulla. The ceremony was held to recognise and award those who successfully completed the Preliminary Certificate in Marketing (PCM) and the Certificate in Pharmaceutical Marketing (PharMa). 

The PCM qualification is a course especially designed for beginners in marketing with a duration of three months of study leading to the Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing (Sri Lanka). It is an entry point for an internationally recognised professional status in Marketing. The rich content of PCM coupled with practical scenarios provide an individual with adequate knowledge to commence a career in marketing or if employed, add value in the field of sales or marketing.

Students of the PCM intakes PCM III and PCM IV of 2015 as well as PCM I and PCM II of 2016 attended the certification ceremony. Medals and special certificates were awarded to the best students, first runners-up and second runners-up of the four PCM intakes in recognition of their achievements. Overall, a total of more than 1,000 PCM holders qualified at the ceremony.

G.T. Harris, S.M. Attanayaka, H.A.D.N.S.D. Gunasekara and W.A.N.V. Jayawardane were awarded as the Best Student, 1st Runner-up and 2nd Runners-up of the PCM III 2015 respectively. The best performers of PCM IV 2015 were; Best student, H.M.W.H. Herath, 1st Runner-up, C.K.K. Wijekoon and 2nd Runner-up, A.M.J.H. Abeysinghe.

The award for the Best Student of PCM I 2016 was awarded to A.K.D.B. Charika, while D.M.S. Perera and P.M. Liyanage were the 1st and 2nd Runners-up respectively. PCM II 2016 best performers were the Best Student L.M. Lemasthota and 1st Runner-up C.D. Mathangaweera, and W.L.G.P.D. Gunathilaka, 2nd Runner-up Taslim Rahaman, Past President SLIM and Managing Director – Metropolitan PhotoHub Ltd. and Tharaka Ranwala – Senior Deputy General Manager – Consumer Banking, Sampath Bank PLC graced the ceremony as Chief Guest and Guest of Honour. 

Rahaman in his address stressed on the initiatives taken by SLIM to improve the quality of education in the changing landscape of Sri Lanka. “I congratulate this prestigious institution for the vast advances made over the years in the vital area of marketing education and I must at this stage commend SLIM for the initiative taken in conducting special programs related to marketing.” 

Tharaka Ranwala congratulated the participants stating, “I wish to offer my sincere congratulations to all those who received their certificates today and my wish for them is that this will only be the beginning of their journey along the learning curve of marketing.”

While congratulating the students on their success, SLIM President Upul Adikari noted the value of PCM and future prospects of the certificate holders. 

“The PCM or Preliminary Certificate in Marketing is your doorway to the Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing and thereafter to an MBA. You could also specialise according to your field of work, and choose from an array of Diplomas and Certificate Level courses which have been specially designed by SLIM, with the needs of the corporate world in mind. Being the national body for Marketing in Sri Lanka, we always look at how we could innovate and offer you a competitive edge so that it will arm you with the qualifications that you require to move upward in the hierarchical ladder of your organisation.”

“We are enthralled by the fact that students of other professions are undertaking marketing studies and following the Preliminary Certificate in Marketing, which is a testament to the value proposition created by this short course. We have observed many from different professions completing this course of study, which provides an understanding of the marketing fundamentals and a philosophical notion that marketing is for everyone. Irrespective of one’s career, occupation or the profession, indulgence in the marketing arena makes a person successful. A more logical approach could be provided to the behaviour, interactions and presentations of those who qualified by marketing theory,” SLIM CEO/ED Sanath Senanayake added.