A survey study in Sri Lanka highlights the trends in higher education among IT professionals, revealing a 50.7% growth in the IT workforce from 2014 to 2018. The majority of respondents (60%) have obtained postgraduate degrees, primarily in MSc and MBA, and advocate for employers to encourage further education. The findings suggest a strong inclination towards pursuing higher studies while working, which is believed to enhance both individual skill sets and industry benefits.

1. ආයුබ ෝවන්!
Semoga Panjang
Umur!

2. A Survey Study
on
Higher Education Trends among
Information Technology
Professionals
in
Sri Lanka
T.D.B WEERASINGHE
IEEE TALE - 2019
www.tharinduweerasinghe.lk

3. Outline
 Sri Lanka
 Objective of the study
 Sri Lankan IT Professionals
 Education System of Sri Lanka
 Research Method
 Outcome
 Conclusion

4. Sri Lanka
The Pearl of the Indian Ocean – A great IT offshore destination

5. Objectives of the study
 To understand the tendency of doing higher
studies (i.e. post graduate degrees and
diplomas) among the Sri Lankan IT
professionals based in Sri Lanka.
 To get an idea about which category of the
employees doing the higher studies.
 To get the feedback on doing higher studies
from the experienced professionals for the
freshers entering the IT industry.

6. About Sri Lankan IT Professionals
Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) of
Sri Lanka has carried out a survey in Sri Lanka in August 2019; as
per the particular survey, the overall capacity of the IT workforce
in Sri Lanka has grown from 82854 persons in 2014, to 124,873 in
2018 which shows a growth of 50.7% and is expected to increase
up to 146,089 in year 2019.
The female workforce in the ICT sector is 34% from the overall
workforce in year 2018. The survey illustrates a relatively young
workforce with 93% of ICT professionals are below the age of 45
years and 80% of the workforce is not having more than 8 years of
experience.
Furthermore, 64.2% of the ICT workforce have Bachelor’s degrees
out of which 30.3% are females and 69% are male; In case of PG
Diploma level, females have share of 35%, which depict the quality
and education of the ICT workforce in Sri Lanka [3].

7. Types of Sri Lankan IT Professionals
who
contributed to the survey
 Software Engineer
 Senior Software Engineer
 Technical Lead
 Consultant
 Software QA/Test Engineer
 Business Analyst
 Senior Creative Writer
 Project Manager
 IT Manager
 Head of IT
 Lecturer – IT

8. Sri Lankan Education
System
Both state and private sectors
are involved.
Main categories:
Primary Education
Secondary Education
Higher Education

9. Research Method
 A questionnaire was circulated via email, among 100
IT professionals (irrespective of the gender).
 The response rate is 30% by the deadline. Depending
on the particular responses, the results were analyzed.
 The main focus of the questionnaire was to: get an
idea about the enthusiasm of the IT professionals who
have more than 4 years of experience in the field, to do
higher studies while working in the IT sector, nature
of the post-graduate courses they want or wanted to
do, and also the advices for the fresh graduates who
are willing to start their IT careers sooner.

10. Outcome
 60% have already obtained a Post Graduate
degree
 The most popular type is MSc and then MBA.
 About 80% advices the younger generation to
do higher studies while engaging at work.
 Most of them think that the Employers should
encourage their employees to do higher studies
and introduce motivation factors.

11. Why the responder wants or wanted to do
higher studies while engaging in work?

12. Whether the responder thinks that the
employers should encourage their
employees to do higher studies ?

13. Whether the responder has a self-motivation in
doing higher studies?

14. Who has done PG studies? 1-Software Engineer
2-Senior Software Engineer
3-Technical Lead
4-QA Engineer
5-Senior Creative Writer
6-Lead Software Engineer
7-Manager
8-Head of Department
9-Consultant
10-Lecturer
11-Business Analyst

15. What “Post Graduate” type they want?
1.0- MBA
2.0-MSc
3.0- MPhil
4.0 – PhD

16. Conclusion
There is a high tendency in Sri Lankan IT professionals to
be engaged in higher studies while working – POSITIVE
Most of them think Employers should encourage their
employees to carry on higher studies
Most of them have done post graduate studies to enhance
their technical knowledge as well as to obtain a further
qualifications.
By enhancing individual skill sets, IT industry will benefit
more! – A personal belief as well (as the head of operation
of an offshore software development firm in Sri Lanka)

17. REFERENCES – mentioned with
gratitude![1] Export.gov. (2019). Sri Lanka - Information and Communication Technologies |
export.gov. [online] Available at: https://www.export.gov/article?id=Sri-Lanka-
Information-and-Communication-Technologies.
[2] “Find out more about the ICT industry in Sri Lanka,” Sri Lanka Export Development
Board. [Online]. Available: http://www.srilankabusiness.com/export-services/ict/sri-
lankas-workforce.html.
[3] "ICTA launches national IT-BPM workforce survey 2019", Lanka Business Online,
2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.lankabusinessonline.com/icta-launches-
national-it-bpm-workforce-survey-2019/.
[4] Coursenet.lk. (2019). Courses in Sri Lanka | Coursenet. [online] Available at:
https://www.coursenet.lk/courses/?categories=8&levels=1,3.
[5] "Sri Lanka Literacy - Demographics", Indexmundi.com, 2019.
[Online]. Available at: https://www.indexmundi.com/sri_lanka/literacy.html.
[6] wenr.wes.org. (2019). [online] Available at: http://wenr.wes.org/wp-
content/uploads/2017/08/WENR-0817-Country-Profile-SriLanka.png
[7]"Education in Sri Lanka", En.wikipedia.org, 2019. [Online]. Available:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Sri_Lanka.
[8]"ආයුබ ෝවන් !!! Welcome", සිතක මහිම, 2019. [Online]. Available:
https://sithakamahima.wordpress.com/2012/03/10/hello-world/.
[9]"Google Maps", Google Maps, 2019. [Online]. Available:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E0%B7%81%E0%B7%8A%E2%80%8D%E0%B
6%BB%E0%B7%93+%E0%B6%BD%E0%B6%82%E0%B6%9A%E0%B7%8F/data=!4m2!3m
1!1s0x3ae2593cf65a1e9d:0xe13da4b400e2d38c?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiPmOC94KrmAhWc
7nMBHUQuDEwQ8gEwHHoECAwQBA. [Accessed: 10- Dec- 2019].

18. ස්තුතියි!
Terima
Kasih!