SLASSCOM partners BeyondOne to launch ‘National Virtual Internship Platform’

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 15 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.