IIT’S alumini to strengthen it’s network
Be it at the time of the Institute’s inception or in the years that progressed since, the Informatics Institute of Technology (IIT) has consistently produced some of the best entrepreneurs and businessmen & women not only in the field of IT but also in Business as well. The Alumni Association of IIT comprises those top industrialists employed in many blue chip Companies both locally and internationally.
This is mainly attributable to the fact that IIT focuses on giving its students an all round education that is immensely practical and suitable in order to fully prepare a student for a lifelong career.
Thulitha Piyasena was a student who opted to join IIT as it was the only Institute offering a comprehensive part time Degree programme in the relevant subject from an UK University, namely Manchester Metropolitan. Having obtained his BSC (Hons) in Information Systems, he began the career as an Instructor at a reputed institute and elevated to project leader and then joined Informatics Pvt Ltd (IPL) which is a subsidiary of Informatics Group. He began his career at IPL as a Junior Systems Analyst and was thereafter promoted as Analyst Programmer within a short span of time. He is the first student to join as a part time student and then switched to full time in the fourth year to complete the program in four years and graduate with the first batch. He was the first student from the institute to be enrolled to the Postgraduate Institute of Management for the MBA program.
With his sound background in Systems Management, Thulitha then joined NDB Bank as a management trainee where he was actively involved in the areas of Business Consultancy and Trade Finance for over 5 years. His innovative thinking and analytical practices enabled him to produce budget module which is a computer based model for preparing the annual budget of the bank and a model that computes the profitability of the business unit in the bank using principals of accounting way back in 1998 that has greatly benefited the bank. He was also the project leader for testing of the bank’s IT system to ensure that the system was ready for the year 2000 effect.
He later proceeded to Nations Trust Bank as Manager MIS and thereafter to the Alliance Finance Group as Manager IT. Here too Thulitha was instrumental in developing cutting edge technology for many of the Company’s software requirements including the Software system currently used by the Alliance finance to manage the savings accounts across the entire branch network. After a stint of over 9 years Thulitha then moved on to his current position of Head of Group IT at BAM Holdings Limited, a fully Sri Lankan owned group of Companies which is internally both forward and backward integrated in apparel manufacturing through their own packaging, embroidery and printing companies and its own fabric mill. The organization is also involved in the leisure industry as well as that of renewable energy.in a Company of such diverse interests, Thulitha is able to put his innovative skills to use and accomplish landmark achievements.
He credits his success and career progression to the grounding he received at IIT and the career based practical knowledge instilled in the students from the very beginning. The exposure to top industries and the crème of the industry professionals too was highly beneficial.
As Secretary of the Alumni Association of IIT Thulitha says “It is important to have a network of our fellow batch mates and Institute members so that all of us can draw from each others’ experiences and successes, gain insights and improve ourselves.” The strength of the institute rides on three main pillars’. They are; the institute, the students and the alumni association.