TRACE launches re:START graduate training program

The panel of industry experts share insights with the gathering

The re:START graduate training program was launched on 19 March at an event held at the Trace Expert City Auditorium, in the presence of Minister of Digital Infrastructure and Information Technology Ajith P. Perera, industry partners, and other distinguished invitees.

Pete Deemer, the lead author of ‘The Scrum Primer’, and Tony Weerasinghe, Chairman and CEO of UStockTrade also addressed the gathering and shared their insights, which centred around the need for alternative forms of education which can help better prepare a country’s workforce to face the future. 

re:START is a six-month-long graduate training program which seeks to equip talented and ambitious graduates from scientific and mathematical backgrounds with the skills necessary to become a full-stack web developer within six months.

The country’s IT sector holds immense potential and plans to generate $ 5 billion in export revenues by 2020. However, it faces a shortage of skilled IT professionals, which is constraining this growth. Out of almost 26,000 students who graduate from State universities every year, only around 1,000 are from the IT stream. Thus, despite the higher wages on offer, many positions in the industry remain vacant.

Students who apply for the re:START program will undergo a structured academic program which was developed in consultation with industry professionals. Over the six months, students will be exposed to programming, databases, web application development, mobile application development, and industry standards. This will be complemented by training on soft skills such as leadership, communication, and analytical thinking. Once the academic phase is complete, students will be able to obtain a guaranteed placement at one of the many private sector partners of the program.

Industry partners of the program include Calcey Technologies, Cargills Bank, IFS, London Stock Exchange Group, PricewaterhouseCoopers Sri Lanka, Roar Global, Smart Logic, Simcentric Technologies, Sysco Labs, Zone 24x7, and 99x Technologies. 

Prospective students can apply for the program by visiting www.sltc.ac.lk/bootcamp. They will then be invited for an aptitude test and an interview. Successful candidates will be given a week-long induction at any one of the program’s partners, after which academic activities will commence. Applicants with intellectual curiosity, tenacity, resilience, and a demonstrated interest in IT will be given preference during the selection process.

Successful applicants will be able to avail themselves of scholarships from private donors and interest-free loans from NDB Bank.

The re:START program is conducted by TRACE in partnership with the Sri Lanka Technological Campus (SLTC). 

TRACE (Technologically Re-Awakening Culture of Excellence) is a non-profit organisation working towards moving Sri Lanka up the value chain through technology and innovation. The organisation’s flagship project is the Trace Expert City, an innovation park spread across nine acres of land in central Colombo, which is now home to seven institutions (both business and academic) operating in the spheres of technology and innovation.

Sri Lanka Technological Campus (SLTC) is a fully owned subsidiary of Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) and is engaged in the provision of academic programs which are fully accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Highways, and approved by the University Grants Commission (UGC).