Brining international accolades to the Sri Lankan secretarial services segment, Dr Sunethra Jayaratne Nugawela, internationally renowned and highly recognised Office Manager was awarded the ‘International Office Manager 2024’ award, at Hotel Grand Connaught in London on June 20/2024.
The ceremony was conducted by the Office Management Group in the United Kingdom. This is the first time a Sri Lankan was presented this award and it was selected from over 750 applications from all over the world.
Dr. Nugawela receiving the award in UK from Final Judges Sarah James and Joshua Cort.
She is also the only representation from the Asian Pacific Region to have received the accolade.
She has created history for Sri Lanka on several occasions, internationally and this prestigious award would be another remarkable achievement.
“The award is also a recognition of efforts, hard work and success as a professional within this key area of any business, contribution to the country, region and to the world at large and the discipline of life balance,” she said.
Dr. Nugawela said that her school, Academy for Administrative Professionals (AAP) at Borella was set up nearly 20 years ago and with her professional staff has trained over 2,000 secretaries including foreign students who are serving in Sri Lanka and all over the world have now received several offers to open overseas. “We hope to start with the Maldives next year and move out to Europe.”
She said that she conducts three classes, Certificate (eight Months) Diploma (One and half Years) and higher Diploma (two years). “I am now planning to tie up with an international university and introduce a Degree programme and this award has given me a platform to move into this.”
“I hope to launch this next year to coincide with my teaching institution’s 20th anniversary celebrations.”
In addition she is also looking at offering free scholarships for students as a part of this celebration and engages in other CSR activities which include building two treatment/residential rooms for a local Ayurveda doctor in Anuradhapura area to provide residential facilities to patients who visit him from all over the country. .
Dr. Nugawela said the profession of secretaries was previously male dominated due to several negative cultural stigmas but over the years it has turned out to be a female oriented profession. “However in Europe men too are actively engaging in the profession.”
She also said that overseas there is no such post called secretary and they are named as either Executive Secretaries, Office Manager or Personal Assistant which gives them a better recognition. “In Sri Lanka too this is happening.”
Dr. Nugawela serves as the Executive Secretary at SDB Bank and the Chairperson of the Academy for Administrative Professional.
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