Mentioning the senior and veteran officers on the verge of retirement, he said involvement in some extra-curricular subjects would enable them to be qualified for suitable outside corporate sector employment.
“They are experienced, knowledgeable, competent, disciplined and hardworking, as these officers were serving in the most disciplined organisation in the country”, he also mentioned.
Gen. Gunaratne expressed these remarks while gracing the M2C - Military to Corporate Entrepreneurship Batch 2 graduation ceremony, as the Chief Guest, at the Waters Edge Hotel, Battaramulla today.
M2C - Military to Corporate Entrepreneurship capsule series comprised corporate-ready Tri-Forces officers who are at the threshold of retirement. Accordingly, 24 senior officers received their parchments from the Chief Guest on successful completion of the capsule.
Secretary, Ministry of Industries and former Army Commander Gen. Daya Rathnayake (Retd) was the driving force behind the project, as it was launched for the first time in Sri Lanka, the Defence Secretary also recalled.
The project mooted under the headship of Gen. Rathnayake supported by the Chief of Defence Staff and Tri-Forces chiefs have made retiring senior officers from Army, Navy and Air Force, ‘corporate ready’ with a host of transitional endowments, which equip them for higher corporate positions.
The Defence Secretary was extremely grateful for bridging the gap through this capsule as it will enable the retiring officers to be competent for a multitude of job opportunities in the corporate sector.
Mentioning on the less formal and usual flatter working setups prevailing outside, he said “it is my strong belief that the battle hardened, senior military officers who are being moulded by arduous, challenging environments inside a highly disciplined framework characterised by specific time-tested ‘rules’ and ‘regulations’ are embedded with an extended capacity and capability to put their knowledge, experience and skills towards the betterment of any organisation they serve”.
Gen. Gunaratne said “I am immensely delighted to see this type of a synergistic approach towards transforming retiring military officers to potential leaders in the corporate sector” while praising the patronage extended by ACCESS Engineering as the resource partner and the Intercontinental Institute of Human Resource Management (IIHRM) for exclusively organising the whole programme during the session.
He also thanked the Chief of Defence Staff, Tri-Forces Commanders and Ceylon Chamber of Commerce hierarchy including all other partners, corporate giants and business tycoons behind the success for joining their hands together to manage and continue the process.
Exchange of mementos, plaques and gifts were also held to mark the occasion.
Gen. Daya Rathnayake (Retd), Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, Army’s Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Priyantha Perera, Navy’s Deputy Chief of Staff Rear Admiral Nandana Jayarathne, Chairman ACCESS Engineering PLC Sumal Perera, IIHRM Managing Director Ranjeewa Kulathunga, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Vice Chairman Duminda Hulangamuwa, corporate sector key appointment holders and serving and retired military officers were present at the session.
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