“Vidumini” Skills Development Endeavour is the main component of the Skills and Employability Enhancing Programme for the External Graduates of the FHSS (SEEPEG) that opens avenues for the external undergraduates to identify their hidden talents while encouraging them to improve on creative skills, employability and entrepreneurial skills. Hoping to have better student participation all events of the programme will be conducted in both Sinhala and English.
Under the guidance and the leadership of Senior Professor Sudantha Liyanage the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Professor Shirantha Heenkenda, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, the programme is directed by Venerable Professor Pinnawala Sangasumana, Director of the External Degrees and Extension Course Unit together with the Vidumini Executive Committee.
The programme consists of four main pillars each containing several individual events. The first Pillar aims at improving creativity among the external undergraduates. The second Pillar is designed for knowledge enhancement while the third and the fourth pillars are intended for assessing students’ contribution to sustainable/green development and employability and entrepreneurial skills respectively.
Pillar 1 goes by the name “Unleash Your Rhythm” to test the talents and creativity of the students. Some of the events that come under the pillar include writing theme poems/ poetry composition, short story composition, photography competition, and making short films.
“Be Your Best” will be the Pillar 2 and hopes to build excellence and expertise of the students through a range of events. The proposed events that fall under this pillar are “Subhasha” – Sinhala Language Proficiency, improving Intelligence Quotient (IQ) capabilities, creative skills development workshop series, managerial skills development, entrepreneurship development programme.
To assess the individual contribution to socio-economic development of society Pillar 3 is called “Show your Worth.” The undergraduates will actively engage in community development events and sharpen their skills in community outreach and engagement.
Intending to further enhance employability and entrepreneurial skills Pillar 4 provides opportunities to put into best use the soft skills and entrepreneurial skills developed through other pillars. The theme of the pillar “Reach Perfection” is realized through the activities namely Undergraduate Conference of the External Degree Students (UCEDS), Entrepreneurial skills development programme, best portfolio / best journal (based on the overall programme engagement or the work-based training).
In the contemporary world of work a fine blend of competencies in addition to the discipline-based knowledge is highly desirable. Hence, the range of events that enrich this programme will undoubtedly have a profound impact on molding an all-rounder equipped with the right attitude and the aptitude to be leaders of tomorrow.
