'SLIM Marketing Roks'

Giving school leavers a taste of marketing:

The Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) recently launched - "SLIM Marketing Roks" - a novel program to educate Sri Lankan youth on the challenges of marketing as a profession. This program was primarily conceptualized to give school - leavers and potential marketeers an in-depth orientation in marketing as a career.

SLIM President Saliya Weerasekara said, "Our ultimate aim is to support the youth of Sri Lanka by encouraging and educating them on the marketing profession. After all, as this country's national body of marketing, we owe it to our country to rebuild the nation".

SLIM Marketing Roks Project Chairman Shenali Wickramaaratchi said, "The marketing profession is rapidly becoming recognized and is the driving wheel in today's business arena. Therefore, as this country's national institute of marketing, SLIM is taking proactive steps to conduct these Career Guidance Seminars for schoolchildren to nurture them, as future marketeers both at urban and rural level".

The first two sessions of SLIM Marketing Roks was held at Ananda College, Colombo and St. Anthony's Auditorium in Kandy. The event included presentations by top industry marketeers who gave an insight into the opportunities available in advertising, marketing research, marketing in the manufacturing and service industries and, public sector marketing.

Also featured were training sessions on leadership, time management and team work and a performance by marketeers from the music industry "Ashanthi and Randhir". The program included several fun activities, games, interactive quizzes where participants vied for gift offers from the SLIM Business School.

The Peoples Bank, Yes Future Stars and DSI played a pivotal role in making this program a success through their sponsorship of the event's proceedings.

SLIM's Joint Vice Presidents Rohan Somawansa and Thushara Perera said, "We are greatly encouraged by the enthusiastic response both at the Colombo and Kandy sessions and look forward to the third in Galle on October 31".