CIMA Tour de Colombo 2016 concludes with great team spirit

CIMA Sri Lanka’s member engagement event, held for the third consecutive year, saw the enthusiastic participation of CIMA members, students and other professionals in the highly enjoyable Tour de Colombo.

Team HNB Assurance emerged as the winners this year, with team members being rewarded with free air tickets to Malaysia. The second place was awarded to Team Flash and Team Bottoms Up finished in the third place, receiving a free hotel stay at Cinnamon Grand and Adidas gift vouchers for team members, respectively.

Amongst the other participating teams were professionals from CIC Group, Hirdaramani, MAS, NDB, Lankem, Hela Clothing, Vidullanka and Wisdom Business Academy.

CIMA’S mission is to help people and business to succeed, with CIMA members and students possessing the critical knowledge and skills that employers are looking for and be ready to work in any business – from multinationals to start-ups, public or private sectors, all around the world. Supporting this tenet, Tour de Colombo provides a platform to showcase strategic thinking, people and leadership skills, whilst simultaneously fostering a sense of team work and camaraderie within Sri Lanka’s large student and membership fraternity. This year, 29 teams entered the competition, with participants undertaking mind-challenging puzzles and physical endeavours in several locations around Colombo. Elaborating further on the success of Tour de Colombo, CIMA Sri Lanka Board Vice Chairman Mahesha Amarasuriya stated, “Tour de Colombo is one of the key events in the CIMA member calendar, where CIMA members get the opportunity of developing their team working skills whilst enjoying themselves. The unique feature of this event was that it required more of planning and strategizing than physical fitness. I am happy that the participation included Gen Y members, new millennials to all those who were young at heart and it was clearly evident that the participants enjoyed themselves in the spirit of friendship and camaraderie.”

CIMA Sri Lanka Board Member and Tour de Colombo Project Chair Nishantha Weerakoon praised this year’s event: “I was thrilled by the enthusiasm and passion shown by the participants. We got good and positive feedback on the success of this event from CIMA members and students, who used this event to network and build camaraderie. I am very grateful to everyone who supported us and gave the necessary guidance and support. The success of this event was all thanks to the participants, sponsors and we hope to continue with this event every year and look forward to everyone’s support in the coming years.”

CIMA Tour de Colombo 2016 also received the support of ANC Education, Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts, Adidas, Rebmech and Daily FT.

Leema Creations (Pvt.) Ltd Managing Director Channa Wijesekara conducted a comprehensive training programme for the wood working instructors of the Vocational Training Authority (VTA) and Department of Technical Education and Training (DTET), at Leema’s stateof-the-art manufacturing plant in Malinda, Kapugoda. It was in response to a request made by the Advanced Construction Training Academy (ACTA) and Training Institute for Technology Professionals (TITP) and covered all the major areas of the wood sector.

Having understood that the training must be an integral part of the organisation’s culture and the organisation’s future, ACTA Ceo/executive Director Eng. Ashoka Jayasinghe, Director Indrani Perera and TITP Director D.K. Baminiwatta invited Leema Creations to assist in upgrading the knowledge and skills of wood working instructors, principally due to the availability of one of the most sophisticated manufacturing plants with modern machinery and equipment.

Wijesekara, having obliged to the invitation, designed the training programme to ideally suit the participants.

Wijesekara, with his overseas exposure on training and recipient of Technical Teachers Certificate in Wood Technology from the Government of Germany in addition to the 37-year experience in the wood industry as a lecturer, manager, production manager, trainer and an entrepreneur, filled all the criteria for the knowledge-hungry participants.

Wijesekara, as a skilled trainer, believes in providing information and skills in a form that can be used immediately. “A clear link must be drawn between the knowledge given during training and the necessary skills that the employees will gain to perform their daily work. This way they will be more motivated to engage actively in the sessions and develop new skills,” said Wijesekara.

Leema Creations currently is the leading interior solution provider in Sri Lanka, catering to elite corporates and upper-middle and highend domiciliary clients in Sri Lanka. Leema’s 60,000 square foot manufacturing facility possesses a range of staff highly skilled in the processes of designing, fabricating and installing furniture and interior decor.

Leema Creations (Pvt.) Ltd appreciates the initiative taken by Skills Development and Vocational Training Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe in respect of instructor training.