Right now, is the perfect time for IT jobs in Sri Lanka. The field of information technology is expanding as never seen before, reaching far corners of the globe. IT is being used by billions of people in their daily lives for everything from the simplest task to the most difficult scientific one. If you are already in the field of IT or have an aptitude for it, this is your chance. Grab it with both hands.

The diversity of IT jobs in Sri Lanka

The playing field of IT has many goalposts and millions of players. If one wished to work in IT, there are many sectors he can choose from. Three of the most heard of areas are software engineering, hardware engineering, and web design and development.

For someone wanting to enter the field of IT and weighing their options, there is a myriad of other choices to select from. CIS (Computer Information Systems) management, content management, data analysis and analytics, MIS (Management Information Systems) are some of the others. These are actually great opportunities in Sri Lanka for school leavers about to enter university or pursue their higher studies, as engaging in any of these disciplines require having done in-depth studies.

There are plenty of other niche IT job vacancies in Sri Lanka as well. Computer crime and forensics, cyber security and risk management, and GIS/GPS (geographical information/positioning systems) are some of these jobs in the IT sector in Sri Lanka.

What do IT jobs in Sri Lanka entail?

If we look at some of the most common areas to begin with, we can start with software engineering. Not only in Sri Lanka but anywhere in the world, software engineering jobs include designing, building, developing, and testing of software. Application development (both web and mobile) and games development also fall under this category.

Hardware engineering, sometimes also known as computer engineering mainly deals with the technological aspect of computers. Those who apply for vacancies in hardware engineering must have a flair for designing and developing computer hardware. Creating computer hardware networks is also a large part of this discipline. Hand in hand with hardware engineering jobs is network management, which can also be considered on its own. In the recent years, designing and development of mobile devices such as smartphones, e-readers, and tablets have also garnered a large market, with lucrative benefits for those who are employed in it.

Why is IT important for businesses in Sri Lanka today?

Before the advent of IT, or ICT (Information Communication Technology), every single task or job in an organisation was done manually. Let’s take a bank for example. In a bank, all the accounting books and ledgers were maintained manually, and details entered into by hand. Every single customer record was kept in separate files, making finding a customer record out of thousands of documentation not only cumbersome but also time-consuming. Customers were given passbooks for their savings accounts. There were no ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) for transactions and people had to wait in queues for hours to get a simple transaction done. There was no on-line banking. There was no telephone banking. Money deposited in one branch of a bank could not be accessed through another branch. There were no debit cards. There were no credit cards. Both being a customer of a bank and being a banking employee was tiring and back-breaking work.

And then came IT and changed everything. Processes were automated. All branches of banks were connected through a computer network so that money could be accessed from anywhere in Sri Lanka, on in certain cases anywhere in the world. Credit cards, debit cards, online banking, telephone banking, and every other new convenience provided by banks today are owing to the developments in the IT field.

IT plays a big role in every single sector and industry in Sri Lanka. In education, people in IT jobs in Sri Lanka are developing ways for children to have more access to knowledge. In healthcare, doctors have more time to spend on saving lives, because IT employees have designed systems to get the mundane record keeping out of the way. When an aeroplane flies, when a telephone call is made (https://www.jobcircle.lk/telecommunications-job-vacancies), and when a hotel is booked somewhere in the country, it is because of those who do great IT jobs in Sri Lanka.

What should you do to get an IT job in Sri Lanka?

If you are a school leaver or planning to enter a university, think of the IT discipline you want to enter into and study for it. There are also numerous professional and academic qualifications in IT you can undertake. While it is true that Steve jobs and Bill Gates started off in their garages, to keep up with the latest developments in the field, it can be useful to have done background studies.

Secondly, scour the net and read as much as you can on the newest thing on IT and ICT. When you reach the next level in your career, it helps to be armed with the latest.

What is it like working for the IT sector in Sri Lanka?

Even at the very beginning, IT employees are known to attract a good salary, sometimes even beginners earning more than LKR 60,000. The salary of a senior IT professional in Sri Lanka can easily be more than LKR 150,000.

However, IT jobs in Sri Lanka or anywhere in the world does require working long hours. As many of the jobs are task or project based, employees are expected to finish them before moving on to another. There is one huge plus for working in the IT field in Sri Lanka. There is always a multitude of opportunities for working abroad. IT companies in Sri Lanka such as Virtusa and Millennium IT are renown for sending their employees abroad to work in their sister companies.

On the other hand, having gained experience in a reputed IT company, it is not unheard for someone to start a freelance IT career or even start their own company. Your job as an IT professional is only a stepping-stone for greatness to come.