An initiative launched to upskill and empower youth across universities in Sri Lanka

Unilever Sri Lanka is on a transformative journey to upskill 100,000 Sri Lankan youth by 2025, inspiring the launch of its 'Unilever Around Sri Lanka in 60 Days' campaign from September 2023. The initiative will reach universities across Sri Lanka over the course of the next 60 days, with a focus on equipping undergraduates with employability skills that will prepare them to thrive in the future world of work. The inaugural stop in Unilever’s journey around Sri Lanka took place at the Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology (APIIT), the undergraduates were given an unique opportunity to engage in a Leadership #KathaBaha led by Gayan Rupasinghe, Home Care Head and a member of the Management Committee of Unilever Sri Lanka. Gayan shared his insightful career journey, imparting invaluable insights and lessons to the aspiring students. Furthermore, the event featured an enlightening session on 'Discovering your purpose,' expertly conducted by Anjalie Jayatunge, the Learning and HR Strategy Lead at Unilever Sri Lanka. Anjalie’s guidance was instrumental in helping students to discover their purpose. With this session the, students were better prepared to connect their goals with a stronger sense of purpose.

Commenting on the initiative, The Chairperson of Unilever Sri Lanka, Hajar Alafifi said, “We are incredibly proud to launch the 'Unilever Around Sri Lanka in 60 Days' initiative with the aim of upskilling 100,000 Sri Lanka youth by 2025. Over the course of the next 60 days, a journey of inspiration will unfold, focusing on equipping undergraduate students with future fit skills to empower them to excel in the continuously evolving landscape of the workplace of the future. This initiative envisions building future leaders. We are delighted to note the overwhelmingly positive feedback from our very first ’Unilever Around Sri Lanka in 60 Days' campus engagement at APIIT. I would like to thank the APIIT team for their cooperation and partnership with Unilever Sri Lanka to build a better future for the nation’s youth.”

Dr. Hasuli Perera, Head - Business School and Foundation Programmes, APIIT added, “The ’Unilever Around Sri Lanka in 60 Days' campus engagement initiative with APIIT provided our students with an invaluable opportunity to not only gain career insights but also embark on a journey of self-discovery. Unilever’s career clinic provided a personalized platform for our students to engage in meaningful discussions about internship and employment opportunities and to chart their career paths. The event was a resounding success, and we express our deep appreciation to Unilever Sri Lanka for affording us this opportunity to inspire, educate and empower our students.”

During each university engagement, undergraduate students will have the opportunity to network closely with Unilever Sri Lanka’s business leaders whilst also equipping themselves with future-fit skills. Additionally, they will also have the opportunity to engage in individual career clinics, enabling one-on-one discussions that will provide guidance on how to successfully enter the corporate world and shape their career adventures.  Unilever Sri Lanka's 'Unilever Around Sri Lanka in 60 Days' campaign is not merely a journey, it's a commitment to nurturing the potential of Sri Lanka's youth, igniting their passion, and providing them with the tools for success in the future world of work.