Fortude Ignite WomenTech Internship 2024 empowers future tech leaders

The interns engaged in a high-level panel discussion featuring (from left) Managing Director Arjuna Sirinanda, Chairman Jeevan William, Board Member Lakmini Wijesundera, and Chief People Officer Oshana Dias

 The 15 interns of the Fortude WomenTech Internship 2024 at the graduation and finale of the program

The Fortude WomenTech Internship 2024, which commenced in August 2024 following a selection from over 1,400 applications, marked two intense weeks of immersive learning.

Aligned with Fortude’s objective of achieving a balanced gender representation by 2027, the Ignite Internship program serves as a testament to the company’s commitment to equal opportunities, ensuring growth and development for all individuals irrespective of their background.

Commenting on the Ignite WomenTech Internship 2024, Chief People Officer Oshana Dias stated: “The overwhelming response to our pioneering ‘Ignite Internship’ initiative is a testament to the untapped potential and talent among women in Sri Lanka. This program is not just a stepping stone but a foundation for bringing more women into the IT sector, paving the way for greater gender diversity and inclusion. We are excited to see how this initiative grows and evolves in the years to come, as we continue to empower and uplift women in technology.”

Throughout the program, participants gained insights into Fortude’s key operational domains, with employees themselves conducting sessions spanning ‘Enterprise Resource Planning’, ‘Data and AI’, ‘Consulting’, ‘Automation’, ‘Managed Services’, and ‘Project Management.’ A ‘diverse speaker’ segment featured motivational journeys from Fortude staff. 

Further, the program focused on enhancing the soft skills of young undergraduates through workshops on interview techniques, communication, emotional intelligence, and wellness.

A power-packed external faculty of diverse facilitators conducted a series of thought-provoking workshops, enriching the interns with valuable knowledge and perspectives. The guest speakers included Smart Quest Coaching and Consulting Co-Founder and Vice President Andrea Jayatilleka, International Trainer and Certified Transformative Coach Fahad Farook, Butterfly Effect Training Partners Co-Founders/Partners and Lead Trainers Ranmali Wickramasinghe and Fazla Razak, and Infinitum Co-Founder and CEO Eomal Munasinha.

The Ignite internship program also featured a leadership ‘deep dive,’ providing comprehensive training for aspiring leaders in the tech industry, preparing them for future roles as well-rounded knowledge workers. 

The 15 students went through Guiding Leadership & Outreach (GLO), a two-day program spearheaded by the Global Learning Lab. GLO is an integrated, multidimensional approach to creating sustainable communities, youth development, and community well-being.

Complementing the practical training, participants were paired with female leaders at Fortude as mentors to guide them through the internship and beyond, as they venture into the global tech sector. This personalised mentorship approach aimed to instil a growth mindset and nurture the interns towards success in their academic and professional pursuits.

“At Fortude, we wanted to do something different with the ‘Ignite Internship’. Our goal was not only to highlight the critical role of digital solutions in the global tech space, but also to truly empower our interns. That is why we placed a heavy emphasis on leadership and soft skills development. By assigning dedicated mentors, we further instilled a growth mindset in our interns. The one-to-one exposure with female mentors, who lead practices in the industry, was something the interns spoke highly of, and we are proud to have provided this unique experience,” said Fortude Global Employer Branding Head Cassandra Mascarenhas.

The internship culminated with a presentation to the Fortude Board of Directors, where interns engaged in a high-level panel discussion with Chairman Jeevan William, Board Member Lakmini Wijesundera, and Managing Director Arjuna Sirinanda. 

This immersive two-week program was designed in alignment with Fortude’s employee value proposition of ‘Grow with Fortude’. The Fortude WomenTech Internship 2024 celebrates the empowerment of women in the tech industry and stands as a beacon of progress towards gender equality and inclusion within the organisation and the broader tech sector.