John Keells Foundation conducts ‘The Final Step’ Soft Skills Workshops at Uva Wellassa University to enhance Youth Employability

John Keells Foundation (JKF) conducted the 23^rd edition of ‘The Final Step’ Soft Skills series at Uva Wellassa University on 23^rd July 2025, marking another milestone in its efforts to bridge the gap between tertiary studies and employer expectations.

Over 310 final year students from the Department of Tourism Studies participated in the programme.

Organised in collaboration with the university’s Faculty of Management, the full-day session covered a range of topics including Personality Development & Confidence Building, Personal Grooming & Social Etiquette and CV Writing & Interview Skills conducted by trainers from within the John Keells Group.

A panel discussion featuring industry leaders provided students with direct insights into employer expectations and career development. The panel included Dileep Mudadeniya, Senior Vice President - Global Alliances & Partnerships and Head of Corporate Affairs, John Keells Group, who also delivered the keynote address; Nalika Abeysuriya, Chief Executive Officer of Whittall Boustead Travel Limited; Wishanth Wijesinha, General Manager - Bancassurance, John Keells Group; and Sriyangani Dhanapala, Resort Manager, Cinnamon Bentota Beach. 

“Sri Lanka is on track for remarkable growth in tourism. It is becoming Asia's most sought-after destination once again. We are seeing a sector that is evolving rapidly, capitalising on our culture and natural landscapes with new investments like Cinnamon Life City of Dreams. As undergraduates aspiring to step into this industry, you have many resources at your fingertips today and many opportunities waiting for you in the market. Make the most of it. Keep learning, keep adapting, and most importantly, persist.” said Dileep Mudadeniya, Senior Vice President - Global Alliances & Partnerships and Head of Corporate Affairs of The John Keells Group in his keynote address.

Sathsara Senanayake, a 3^rd year undergraduate from the Department of Tourism Studies, Faculty of Management, Uva Wellassa University, said “Through very interactive sessions we learnt how to dress, how to present ourselves, and how to face an interview. These are things we can’t really learn from lectures. They spent the whole day with us. Thank you to JKF and the Faculty of Management.”

The popular ‘Final Step’ Soft Skills programme, initiated in 2006 and conducted in 13 universities through 23 editions, forms part of JKF’s long-standing focus on education and skills development, aimed at advancing employability and entrepreneurship of youth through more equitable access to educational opportunities and resources. 

Education, Community & Livelihoods, Social Health & Cohesion, and Biodiversity are the four focus areas of John Keells Foundation - the CSR entity of John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH), largest company listed on the CSE in terms of market capitalization operating over 70 companies in 7 diverse industry sectors. With a history of over 150 years, the John Keells Group provides employment to over 18,000 persons and has been ranked as Sri Lanka's 'Most Respected Entity' for the last 19 Years by LMD magazine. JKH has placed first for the fourth consecutive year in the 'Transparency in Corporate Reporting Assessment' by Transparency International Sri Lanka.  Whilst being a full member of the World Economic Forum and a participant of the UN Global Compact, JKH drives its CSR vision of `Empowering the Nation for Tomorrow’ through John Keells Foundation and through the social entrepreneurship initiative, ‘Plasticcycle’, which is a catalyst in significantly reducing plastic pollution in Sri Lanka.