EFC-ILO partnered Executive Diploma in Employment Relations, holds inaugural awards ceremony
The inaugural batch of the Executive Diploma in Employment Relations received their diplomas at a ceremony held at the MovenPick Hotel recently.
The Executive Diploma in Employment Relations is a collaborative venture between the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) and the International Training Centre (ITC) of the International Labour Organization (ILO) .
EFC Chairman Pravir Samarasinghe was the chief guest, and presented the certificates to the graduates along with Gotabaya Dasanayaka, former Director General of the EFC.
A professional qualification designed to meet the demands of modern employment relations, the diploma contains modules on labour law, human resource management, industrial relations, labour economics and occupational health and safety.
Professionals such as HR managers and consultants, executives, researchers and academics can benefit by studying for this diploma. The course was conducted by industry experts, academics and the staff of EFC.
EFC's Assistant Director General and Head of Training
Yashoravi Bakmiwewa said the diploma was a milestone for EFC as the first national employers’ organisation to hold a partnership with the ITC- ILO. The Diploma in Employment Relations is also aligned with the Sri Lanka Qualification Framework (SLQF).
Ms. Bakmiwewa thanked her predecessor Ayomi Fernando along with the EFC's present Director General Kanishka Weerasinghe and Senior Consultant of Human Resource Development Dr. K. L. Chandratilleke, for taking this course off the ground. She also congratulated the first batch of diploma holders for being 'brand ambassadors for the future.'
“It is precisely for the quality of this programme and the professionalism of the EFC team that the ITC-ILO is very pleased to support this diploma. We see the quality, we see the value and we are happy to collaborate with the EFC to continue with the Executive Diploma Programme," said the ILO's International Training Centre ( ITC) Programme Officer, Sandro Pattineo.
The ITC-ILO representative also said that his organisation was pleased to be continue supporting the diploma, as well as the EFC.
“We see that this can be a way to improve the visibility for the organisation, attract more members and strengthen the role that the EFC plays at the national and regional level and beyond.”
NDB Bank's HR Manager Anoja Senanayake, who received the ' batch top' award, said the course, though structured as an Executive Diploma had the knowledge and value equivalent to that of an MBA.
“Being a lawyer, industrial relations and labour laws are home ground for me. However, this diploma gave me an opportunity to study the new amendments to legislation in depth and new study areas including health and safety, international conventions and the standards of the ILO, demographics and labour statistics of Sri Lanka, labour economics, sustainability and environmental aspects and the best practices in the industry.”
She also said that the course allowed her to interact with industry experts, professional experts and leading academics.
"The insights shared by these personalities were enlightening and beneficial for my career. I’m grateful to the management of the EFC for creating a forum to meet these experts."
Applications for the third intake of the course are now available, and the course will begin in January 2020.