With the onset of peace generating a steady economic turnaround in Sri Lanka, there is an increasing demand for highly qualified professionals in various sectors, providing a great opportunity for top Sri Lankan executives employed abroad to return home and immensely benefit from the economic revival, according to Fayaz Saleem, Managing Director of Colombo-based Appointments of International Management Specialists (AIMS), a pioneer Head hunting and executive search consultancy.
Mr. Saleem will be visiting the Middle East from January 30 to February 4 to give Sri Lankan executives an overview of Sri Lanka’s job market.
Sri Lanka’s economic growth is poised to accelerate this year on the back of rising tourist arrivals, foreign investment and business confidence after the end of the island’s nearly three decade civil war. Sri Lanka expects to achieve a
growth of 8.5% in 2011 up from 8% last year.Commenting on the economic transformation now underway in Sri Lanka, Mr. Saleem said: “The current strong political and economic climate has opened opportunities for local and foreign investors to take advantage of high profile projects that are underway and planned right across Sri Lanka. Additionally, the reconstruction process that is underway in the North and East in an area that was once a war zone has become an attractive proposition for local and international businesses.
“Some of the projects that have already commenced encompass regeneration and renewal of infrastructure, transport planning, ports,hotels, housing and area planning and development, urbanization, rural planning and development”.
However, Mr. Saleem believes that Sri Lanka’s domestic job market at this juncture cannot meet the increasing demand for quality professionals to handle the magnitude of the reformation process.
“The ground reality is that some of the best Sri Lankan professionals are gainfully employed all over the world including the GCC states, UK, Canada, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore etc, many of them holding positions of great responsibility. In such a situation, it would be necessary to attract migrant Sri Lankan professionals back to the country by formulating proactive measures to create stable employment and investment opportunities at home, attracting both young home-grown talent and experienced immigrants whose expertise and knowledge will promote social and economic development.
“In light of the present economic realities, an opportunity has opened for the country to introduce incentive policies to reverse the pervasive brain drain that has taken a toll on all sectors over the past three decades and more” Mr. Saleem said.
He added: “The opportunity is right for seasoned expatriate professionals to return to tap the growing opportunities that await them in their home country. Banks have been the first to grab the opportunity to establish themselves in post-war Sri Lanka. Another sector that is currently on an upward momentum, is tourism. In fact, the hospitality industry, which is a key beneficiary of the peace dividend, is one of the sectors that holds much promise for highly qualified Sri Lankan professionals, as a number of hotel projects will be launched this year”.
Fayaz Saleem can be contacted at fayazsaleem@eslaims.com
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