PUSHING BOUNDARIES AND BEING THE BEST YOU

Amila Gunawardana, born into a humble family as a middle child, embarked on her career journey with Emirates Airlines in Colombo straight out of school as a trainee. Presented with the opportunity to pursue two other leading careers, Amila chose aviation at the age of 18, stepping into a realm she had little knowledge of – the corporate world and the aviation industry. Despite her initial timid and gentle demeanor from her school days, Amila’s trajectory was far from what her parents had envisioned.

Raised in a conservative, protective environment where school trips were unheard of, Amila’s first taste of independence came when she attended an awards night held over three days, far away from home. Persuading her hesitant parents to let her go, she ventured into unfamiliar territory, soon followed by international travel to the head office for training. While her mother couldn’t accompany her to the awards night, she made sure to book the same flights and stay at the same hotel for subsequent trips, keeping a watchful eye from afar.

Navigating the complexities of womanhood and the corporate world, Amila found herself married by the age of 23, blessed with a beautiful baby girl 18 months later. Balancing motherhood and a career, she attempted to pursue further studies at the Charted Institute of Marketing but had to pause her aspirations upon her mother’s stage 4 cancer diagnosis. With only three months prognosis, she dedicated her time to caregiving, juggling hospital visits, a newborn, and the demands of her career. While her father did everything to keep mom alive together with Amila, she was further faced with caregiving to her mother-in-law, being a kidney patient on dialysis four times a week.

Between hospital treatments, caring for a newborn, managing with limited or no domestic help, trying to complete her studies, and striving to maintain her career amidst it all, she found herself wondering, “Could life get any harder?” There were moments when she stood before industry professionals, delivering presentations, yet her mind was haunted by the fear of receiving “That Call” from her father, the call dreaded for a lifetime. Sometimes, mid-presentation, she would excuse herself, answer her father’s urgent summons to the emergency room, suppress her tears, return to finish her presentation, and then rush back to the hospital. The cycle of hospital visits continued, not just for her, but also for her mother and mother-in-law. Her mother-in-law passed away in 2009, and her own mother, given only three months to live, followed seven years later in 2011. It was undeniably tough, but as they say, circumstances make you stronger, and indeed, they did. However, amidst the hardships, there were glimmers of hope. Maintaining faith and trust in a greater plan proved essential.

One of the most impressive examples of Amila’s unwavering perseverance in the midst of upheaval was her completion of her Bachelor of Management at the Open University of Colombo in 2012, as well as a Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management. She also earned a Certificate in Tourism and Hotel Management from the Open University of Colombo before pursuing an MBA at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, UK, in 2016.

She reached numerous significant milestones in her career. In her youth, she received the prestigious “Women in Business Scholarship” from Jane M. Kalusman, presented by Zonta International in 2014. Additionally, she holds the distinction of being the sole candidate in Colombo to date to have earned a Graduate Leadership Diploma from Emirates Aviation College in Dubai, along with various other aviation soft skills certificates. Furthermore, she became a certified “On-the-Job Trainer” for the Colombo station thereafter.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Amila maintained an active social life, engaging in event management and volunteering for various charitable causes. As a lively and outgoing individual, she embraced the opportunity to serve as the first female president of the organizing committee for the Annual Dinner Dance at the esteemed men’s club, Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club (CR & FC) in Sri Lanka, earning unanimous support for two consecutive years along with financial success to the Club. This experience provided invaluable lessons in navigating male-dominated environments, teaching her the nuances of diplomacy in managing male perspectives and opinions as a woman. Throughout her endeavors, she forged enduring friendships while also experiencing the bittersweet reality of losing a few along the way.

After 17 years with Emirates, Amila embarked on a new career path within the Hemas Group before transitioning to entrepreneurship with her own endeavours. In 2018, Amila’s journey took an exciting turn when she was selected as one of the 25 recipients out of 500 applicants to receive a Short Course Scholarship in Sustainable Tourism, awarded by the Australian Government. This prestigious scholarship provided her with a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the realm of sustainable tourism and broaden her horizons at Griffith University in Queensland.

During her three-week tenure at Griffith University, Amila engaged in intensive academic coursework and collaborative projects with fellow recipients. The experience was not only exhilarating but also highly educative, offering her invaluable insights into the principles and practices of sustainable tourism.

Upon her return from Australia, Amila was inspired to leverage her newfound knowledge and experiences to make a positive impact in her home country of Sri Lanka. Motivated by the goal of promoting bilateral relationships between Australia and Sri Lanka, she founded her own travel company, Go Ceilão, as part of her scholarship program. Through Go Ceilão, she aimed to facilitate cultural exchange and tourism between the two nations, fostering mutual understanding and collaboration.

Furthermore, Amila continued to nurture ties with Australia beyond her scholarship program. She actively promoted tourism initiatives and bilateral relationships, encouraging visitors to explore the rich cultural heritage of Sri Lanka, and facilitating knowledge exchange between the two countries. Her experience with the Australian scholarship not only enriched her professional journey but also reinforced her commitment to promoting sustainable tourism and advancing international cooperation. It served as a stimulus for her entrepreneurial endeavors and strengthened her resolve to be a catalyst for positive change in her community and beyond.

Along with the knowledge and experience gained, to promote Sri Lanka as a tourist destination for adventure, she successfully organized the first ever Everesting Cycling Challenge in 2018. There were 28 international and local cyclists taking up the challenge to repeatedly ride on a hill, reaching the maximum height of 8,848 m—the equivalent of Mount Everest—within a period of twenty-four hours without sleep amongst the picturesque, lush green hills in Raddella – Nuwara Eliya.

In addition to her own venture, she also served as a consultant for Skills for Inclusive Growth on projects funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Collaborating with the Sri Lanka Ministry of Skills Development, Employment, and Labor Relations in 2021, she spearheaded two significant community-based projects in Trincomalee and Batticaloa aimed at Empowering Women and communities through Sustainable Tourism Projects. Teaming up with AHAM of Trincomalee and the Seva Lanka Foundation of Batticaloa, she contributed to the development, training, and marketing of community-based tourism products. Her initiatives included the establishment of systems to measure productivity.

Since early 2017, many Sri Lankans have been closely monitoring the country’s precarious economic and political situation, and understandably, many were considering migrating to more stable environments. Suddenly, there arose a significant demand for English proficiency in the job market, as most immigration processes required either IELTS or PTE qualifications. With PTE gaining momentum as a viable alternative to IELTS, Amila recognized the opportunity to provide PTE training to aspiring Sri Lankan migrants.

Moreover, Australia emerged as a prime destination for young migrants and students seeking admission to Australian universities, and PTE proved to align well with Sri Lankan educational norms and practices. It’s advantage of delivering results within 48 hours of the exam added to its appeal. Recognizing the potential of PTE, Amila pursued PTE qualifications for her own migration plans. It occurred to her that she could also assist others by teaching PTE part-time and ventured into School of PTE, thereby aiding them while supplementing her income. She subsequently invested in herself and obtained the necessary PTE teaching certification.

Today, Amila resides in Australia with her family, where she holds a prominent corporate position in a leading organization. Despite her demanding career, she continues to volunteer her time whenever possible, whether it’s promoting bilateral relationships or helping individuals achieve their migration goals through English proficiency. Her students hail from various parts of the world, allowing her to be a small but significant part of their larger journey.

In a world where women are often pressured to choose between career and family, Amila’s story stands as a testament to the power of choice and resilience. Despite facing numerous challenges throughout her life, she never wavered in her determination to be the best version of herself, both personally and professionally. For Amila, compromise is not a sign of weakness but rather a demonstration of adaptability, courage, and unwavering commitment to her goals.