The ‘FastTrack’ summer internship, introduced by the John Keells Group, makes its return this year, in collaboration with Sysco LABS Sri Lanka and Brandix Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, offering undergraduates a distinctive four-week summer internship experience.
Launched in 2011, FastTrack distinguishes itself by providing participants with an unmatched opportunity to explore the diverse corporate landscape of Sri Lanka. This approach aims to challenge conventions and attract innovative minds, among Sri Lankan undergraduates both locally and overseas, who might otherwise seek opportunities abroad.
Speaking at the signing of the partnership agreement on 2nd May 2024, Isuru Gunasekera, Chief People Officer & Head of Sustainability, Enterprise Risk Management & Group Initiatives and Executive Vice President of the John Keells Group, said, “At the core of the FastTrack internship programme lies our objective of nurturing the next generation of corporate leaders in Sri Lanka. Our mission is to provide the interns a firsthand glimpse into the diverse career pathways that are available to them within the Sri Lankan corporate sector. We’re committed to illustrating how companies like ours not only play pivotal roles in bolstering the economy, but also cultivate environments of respect and inclusivity, fuel innovation and sustainable practices, and uplift communities.”
The interns will receive exclusive exposure to the industry sectors of Leisure, Real Estate, Consumer Foods, Retail, Information Technology, Garments and textiles, and Transportation which will allow participants to learn and understand the operations of each sector, first-hand.
Rehan Anthonis, Director of People Operations at Sysco LABS Sri Lanka, expressed, “We’re excited to collaborate with John Keells Group and Brandix on the FastTrack internship programme. Our involvement offers programme participants invaluable insights into the inner workings of tech companies and emphasises the pivotal role innovation plays in growth and development. We firmly believe in creating pipelines for the future, and this partnership underscores our commitment to nurturing talent and shaping tomorrow’s leaders.”
During the intensive four-week programme, FastTrack interns will benefit from mentorship by experienced professionals, engage with influential business leaders, and tackle hands-on assignments that connect academic learning with real-world application. Workshops will concentrate on refining soft skills such as business etiquette, leadership, and presentation prowess, while a project management component will foster teamwork capabilities.
Dinusha Jayamanne, Senior General Manager HR at Brandix, stated “We are thrilled to partner with the John Keells Group and Sysco LABS Sri Lanka on the FastTrack Internship programme. This collaboration showcases our commitment to nurturing talent in Sri Lanka and shaping the future together. Through initiatives like this, we aim to create opportunities that empower emerging professionals and strengthen talent practices.”
The FastTrack summer internship seeks to not just retain youthful talent locally, but also inspire them to harness their distinct strengths and abilities for the betterment of Sri Lanka.
About the John Keells Group: John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH), is the largest conglomerate listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange, operating with over 70 companies in 7 diverse industry sectors. With a history of over 150 years, John Keells Group provides careers to over 14,000 persons and has been ranked as Sri Lanka’s ‘Most Respected Entity’ for the last 18 Years by LMD magazine. John Keells Holdings PLC was ranked first for the third consecutive year in the ‘Transparency in Corporate Reporting Assessment’ by Transparency International Sri Lanka. Whilst being a full member of the World Economic Forum and a participant of the UN Global Compact, JKH drives its CSR vision of “Empowering the Nation for Tomorrow” through the John Keells Foundation and through the social entrepreneurship initiative, ‘Plasticcycle’, which is a catalyst in significantly reducing plastic pollution in Sri Lanka. www.keells.com
About Sysco LABS: Sysco LABS is the Global In-House Center of Sysco Corporation (NYSE: SYY), the world’s largest foodservice company. Sysco is a Fortune 500 company and the global leader in the trillion-dollar foodservice industry. Sysco employs 72,000 associates, has 330+ smart distribution facilities worldwide and over 14,000 IoT-enabled trucks serving 725,000 customer locations. For fiscal year 2023 that ended July 1, 2023, the company generated sales of more than $76 billion. Sysco LABS delivers the technology that powers Sysco’s end-to-end operations. With engineering teams based out of Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Austin and Houston, TX, Sysco LABS enables Sysco’s entire supply chain delivering enterprise-grade technology that Is revolutionizing the industry. Sysco LABS’ technology is present in the end-to-end foodservice journey, enabling the sourcing of food products, merchandising, storage and warehouse operations, order placement and pricing algorithms, the delivery of food and supplies to Sysco’s global network, the in-restaurant dining experience of the end-customer and much more.
About Brandix: With over 50 years of experience, Brandix is a global leader in apparel manufacturing and digital solutions, serving iconic brands worldwide. Driven by curiosity and a commitment to environmental and social sustainability, Brandix has achieved several world firsts in ethical manufacturing such as the first LEED Platinum certified apparel manufacturing facility in 2008 and the first Net-Zero Carbon certified apparel manufacturing facility in 2019. The company builds life-long relationships with partners who share its purpose, co-creating Inspired Solutions for clothing that celebrate humanity and drive prosperity for all. The Brandix vertically integrated supply chain spans Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Haiti, Cambodia, the UK, and the US.