Q.
What are the job opportunities in Sri Lanka for computer engineering?
There is a lot. All of our Computer Engineering graduates get jobs before they graduate, even during this pandemic period it was the same. The jobs and skills that are in the highest demand now are from the Computer Engineering field. Also, note that we produce Computer Engineers who can
work anywhere in the world.
Q.
Are there any government jobs for Computer Engineers in Sri Lanka?
Yes, there are government agencies such as ICTA that directly work on software systems. Many other government sub-sectors have opportunities for Computer Engineers. For example, the main engineer who designed and implemented all automated systems on Sri Lankan Highways is one of our graduates. However, the numbers are relatively low as the remuneration and benefits in the private sector are attractive.
Q.
Do we have embedded systems related jobs here? Can you please name some companies related to embedded systems?
Zone24x7, LSEG, Paraqum, Zebra Technologies, Metatechno, Atlas Lab, and SenzAgro. We have plans to start some more with our current/past students. Also, there are a number of startups doing embedded systems. There are a considerable number of startups working in the
IoT area in Sri Lanka.
Q.
What is the path we should follow in our degree programme to get into a career in data science or data analysis?
Definitely Computer Engineering, and focus more on data science and engineering courses in 3rd and 4th years.
Q.
What are the job opportunities in the field of cybersecurity? Is there a good demand for that field in Sri Lanka?
Absolutely! There are a number of cybersecurity based startups in SL now, and there will be space for more. With digitalization everywhere, security becomes paramount. Currently, there is a lot of demand, but not much supply. It will remain one of the hottest areas. Ask google for, "cybersecurity jobs in Sri Lanka".
Q.
Can you briefly elaborate on the gaming industry here in Sri Lanka and overseas?
It's one of the booming industries on the island and outside (popular gaming studios in Sri Lanka). Games development is a very technically demanding process and developers are required to possess a wide range of technical skills including computer programming, computer vision, AI, embedded systems and mathematics. You will have a chance to learn all these within the computer engineering programme and it is a matter of applying these if you want to be a game developer.
We're working with Arimac to introduce a new technical elective course on Game Design and Development. Games involve a lot of different things: Algorithms, graphics, human-computer interactions, networking, CPU/GPU/Memory hardware, etc. I'll post links to some related projects we have done recently.
Q.
Can we expect a salary decrease or difficulty in finding jobs in future due to the crowd coming out from the private universities, etc.?
We produce the best Computer Engineering graduates, who are "real" engineers (those who can design & develop new things, solve problems, etc.). What most others focus on is creating "technicians" -- learning tools to do things that "real" engineers design. There will always be a demand for the best graduates. You are the smartest that this country has (& probably some of the smartest in the world). If you work hard, you'll be competitive anywhere.
Q.
Is there higher job stress in the Software Engineering field compared to other fields?
If you become an Engineer who actually designs and builds systems, your job will have some stress, regardless of which type of engineering. However, balancing your life to take the challenges is something that we expect all our engineers to do and we do help them achieve it.
