Electrician Students Walk Away With Important Life Lessons at the 14th Electrician Graduation

The 14th Electrician graduation concluded on the 02nd July 2011, with many proud students walking away with certificates in hand while carrying the pride of being competent at a vocation.

The ceremony commenced with students welcoming the Chief Guest, Founder/Trustee of Foundation of Goodness, Kushil Gunasekera being presented a lotus flower, a novel concept of welcoming. The Manager Operations, Sampath Viraj and all other guests were also given a warm welcome. As per customs, the traditional oil lamp was lit and a moment of silence was observed while “Dhanno Budunge” a traditional Sinhala song played in the background.

As the first item on the agenda, Sampath Viraj was invited to address the gathering for which he responded stating that “rather than giving a speech, the occasion calls for taking a moment to appreciate the students and the lecturer who made this day come out live”.

Sampath took time to explain how important this juncture of life is for every single person graduating on the day. He explained how a vocation becomes important when one wants to pursue a career in any field. He made it a point to state that although only 14 students were graduating in this batch as electricians, that they all are very important and that they all have a bigger role to play in the society. He urged the students not to “stop from here” but to keep moving forward until they achieve something beyond their dreams and imagination.

These words of encouragement from Sampath were followed by heart-warming words from Kushil Gunasekera who addressed the gathering. He recalled how he struggled to pass exams back in school, but how he always took lead to develop virtues to become a respectful person bound in self integrity. Further asserting on guidance provided by Sampath, Kushil told students that “You can gain knowledge, but you also need to do things differently to become the best you can be”. He appreciated the new way in which the auditorium was prepared by students and their lecturer with supporting staff for the ceremony. He provided further encouragement to students by providing a few career options that they can pursue after this point of completing the electrician course. Pursuing further education and vocational training in electrician discipline, finding jobs in and around the village or in bigger cities like Colombo or even migrating to a country like Australia where demand for skilled professions are high, were some of the options placed before these students.

Kushil’s concluding words were so touching that it made the audience go in to a mellow trance while absorbing the essence of what was just shared with them. He mentioned how anyone can easily earn a certification stating the professional qualifications one has gained, but how it is difficult to earn a character certification for which different people will testify positively about one’s character. Students were taught how to walk their talk, how to build confidence of clients through valued customer service, how to conduct oneself with positive attitude and how they can give back something to the society with skills that they have gained free of cost thanks to the generosity of donors of the Foundation of Goodness who give of themselves selflessly for the goodwill of others. Likewise, these students were told that they can look around for where the need is and to collaboratively carry out a community aid project such as attend to wiring requirements of a poor family who will not have enough funds to get it done by spending on an electrician. Kushil took the example of the 78 year old grandmother who finally received electricity to her home for the first time in her life, by way of village welfare efforts carried out by the Foundation of Goodness.

At this point, it was brought to the notice of the audience how Harshana, a graduating student, voluntarily wired the house of a teacher attached to the Foundation of Goodness. Realizing that Harshana did not have the required equipment to pursue a career as an electrician, Champika, the teacher has later promised to gift a tool kit to Harshana. This story depicts the very nature of kindness that multiplies in thousand folds; when one acts with purity of heart and intensions.

On a final note, Kushil emphasized the importance of adhering by a ‘quality standard’ and delivering their services to please their clients. He spoke of the importance of building an industry name as the best electrician in the area and how one could maintain a reputation as a person who does what one says and says what he does. Kushil’s final words at the ceremony for students were to “make use of the free of cost services we offer and conquer the world”.

Next on the agenda was for guests to inspect an electrician demonstration. Students took turns to introduce different types of circuits that they are now capable of implementing as electricians. The guests were explained the differences between each circuit and their suitability for different situations and requirements. Michael De Silva, the teacher who has painstakingly trained these students, not only in mechanical aspect but also on safety and standardizations of the industry, looked on proudly as his students wrapped up the demonstration session.

The award ceremony followed with the over joyous 14 students coming from 08 different villages receiving certificates of completion from the Foundation of Goodness. In addition to this certificate, every individual was awarded another certificate with good virtues written on it. It is something that every person can carry along and use in their life. After certificates were awarded, the guests were served refreshments.

The final speech of the event was that of the lecturer, Michael De Silva, in which he appreciated students’ enthusiasm and spoke of an extraordinary story of a family of electricians that benefitted through the Foundation of Goodness electrician program. Having followed the electrician courses, the father and his three children are now operating as an electrician crew, undertaking various engagements in the area. Ashan Pramith, being the youngest in this family, was among the 14 students who graduated adding yet another strengthening hand to their family’s new-found livelihood. This story does indeed stand out as evidence for the effectiveness with which the electrician courses light up many lives and their livelihoods in Down South Sri Lanka.

The ceremony concluded with a student’s speech that followed by the lecturer receiving a surprise gift from students as a way of showing saying “Thank you” and with gratitude.

“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”

– Zig Ziglar

27.07.2011

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