Bridging Sri Lanka’s Internship Crisis : National Virtual Internship Platform Launches

As Sri Lanka’s IT and BPM industry continues to expand, universities across the country are facing increasing challenges in securing quality internships for undergraduates who require industry exposure to complete their degrees.

In response, SLASSCOM, together with BeyondOne, has launched an Internship Platform as a national initiative aimed at bridging the gap between academia and industry through a scalable virtual internship ecosystem.

Following Sri Lanka’s 2022 economic crisis, many companies scaled back internship opportunities as part of cost-reduction measures, while universities continued producing larger student intakes based on earlier industry growth projections.

This imbalance has left many students struggling to complete mandatory internships and graduate on schedule.

The Internship Platform seeks to address this challenge by offering structured, project-based virtual internships aligned with real industry needs.

Through the platform, students will gain exposure to practical business environments, industry mentorship, and hands-on learning experiences.

Universities will benefit from improved visibility into student progress and academic integration, while companies gain access to emerging talent and flexible project-based engagement models.

The official launch of the platform took place on 15th May with the participation of SLASSCOM Chairperson Shehani Seneviratne, Director Operations Bimal Gunapala, Executive Director Chaminda De Silva, and representatives from SLASSCOM Academy and the Capacity Forum.

Strategic partner BeyondOne was represented virtually by Nishan Lasantha, Director – Business Operations, who joined the event as the technology facilitator of the platform.

Companies involved in the pilot phase of the project include 99x, hSenid, ADA, Virtusa, Sysco LABS, Fortude, Covalent Systems, and IIBA, with representatives from several of these organizations attending the event as well.

SLASSCOM also acknowledged the support extended by leading universities that came on board as pilot partners and demonstrated openness towards exploring and piloting this initiative.

Speaking at the launch, SLASSCOM Chairperson Shehani Senevirathne stated:

“The SLASSCOM Internship Platform is a timely and important initiative that addresses a critical challenge faced by both students and universities today.

By enabling structured, industry-aligned virtual internships, we are creating more equitable access to practical learning opportunities while strengthening collaboration between academia and industry.

This initiative reflects SLASSCOM’s continued commitment to developing future-ready digital talent and supporting the long-term growth of Sri Lanka’s IT and BPM industry.”

Director Operations at SLASSCOM - Bimal Gunapala stated;

“"Shrinking physical placements at reputed companies have put universities under intense pressure to make internships optional.

While this allows students to graduate on time, it threatens to further widen an already existing employability skill gap.

Our virtual platform is a critical intervention—connecting students with real companies, real supervisors, and real projects.

By keeping industry doors open digitally, we preserve the vital, hands-on experience our workforce demands."

The launch also highlighted the platform’s potential to promote equitable access to meaningful internships and strengthen the long-term sustainability of Sri Lanka’s digital talent ecosystem.

Image captions

Image 01 – The SLASSCOM Team at the Internship Platform Launch.

Image 02 - Introduction to the Initiave done by SLASSCOM Director Operations Bimal Gunapala while Strategic partner BeyondOne was represented virtually by Nishan Lasantha, Director – Business Operations.