Upeksha Virajini Karunathilake

🌱♻️ CESC Public Lecture: Engineering for a Net-Zero Future – Skills for the Next Decade 🌍
As the world accelerates towards a net-zero future, engineers are at the forefront of driving sustainable transformation. Are you ready to develop the skills needed to lead this change?

Join us for an inspiring public lecture: Engineering for a Net-Zero Future: Skills for the Next Decade

🎤 Speaker: Eng. Upeksha Virajini Karunathilake
BSc Eng. (Hons), MSc BSE (UOM), AMIE(SL), LEED® Green Associate™, Green SL® Accredited Professional

📅 Date: 23 June 2026
⏰ Time: 5.15 PM Onwards
📍 Venue: Wimalasurendra Auditorium, IESL

📲 Register now and be part of the conversation shaping the next generation of engineering leadership!

Organized by the Civil Engineering Sectional Committee (CESC) of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL).

🌍🌿⚡

🌱 Why every university student should volunteer at least once

I had the privilege of joining the GreenShift 2026 Phase 2 Orientation Program organized by the ZeroPlastic Colombo Community as a panelist to discuss a topic I am truly passionate about, “The importance of volunteering for university students”.

In brief , My message to the students was this..

Don’t wait until you graduate to start building your future. Start volunteering.

Volunteering is much more than giving your time.

It helps students:

✨ Discover their passions and interests

✨ Develop essential soft skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership and problem-solving

✨ Build social and professional networks

✨ Gain practical experience that can open doors to future career opportunities

Most importantly, volunteering allows young people to create a positive impact on all three pillars of sustainability, society, the environment and the economy.

We often focus heavily on academic achievements, but some of the most valuable lessons are learned outside the classroom.

A special appreciation to Zero Plastic Movement and its founder Nishshanka De Silva for creating such an inspiring platform that empowers the younger generation to learn, collaborate and build practical skills while contributing towards a more sustainable future.

Sri Lanka needs more initiatives like this that transform students from passive learners into active changemakers. 🌍💚

Thank you for having me as part of this meaningful conversation.

ZeroPlastic GreenSkills

🚨 The biggest career mistake in 2026?

Thinking green skills aren’t relevant to your job.

Spoiler alert: They are.

🌱 Join our FREE webinar and learn why every professional needs green skills.

Type ‘GREEN SKILLS” to receive the registration link.

📅 20 June | GSAP Introduction

🌱 The best career decision I ever made?

Learning green skills.

I didn’t change my degree. I upgraded my skills.

That one decision transformed my journey from a Civil Engineer to a sustainability leader, educator, founder, and now a trainer helping others build future-ready careers.

That’s exactly why I created the Green Skills Accelerator Program (GSAP).

💚 And to introduce it, I’m hosting a FREE webinar on 20th June at 7.00 pm:

🎓 Future-Proof Your Career with Green Skills

If you’re a university student, fresh graduate, or early-career professional wondering how to prepare for the future, this is for you.

Because green skills are no longer optional. They are becoming essential.

Type ‘Green Skills’ to receive webinar link 🚀

GreenCareers Sustainability

🌿 It was a pleasure to be invited by the Centre for Sustainability Solutions - UoK, to speak at their World Environment Day 2026 celebration on “Climate Adaptation and Green Building Infrastructure”.

I was especially honoured to share the stage with Emeritus Professor Sarath Kotagama, a true inspiration in environmental conservation.

It was encouraging to see the University’s strong commitment to sustainability through both awareness programmes and practical actions such as mangrove restoration.

Thank you to the University of Kelaniya and the CSS team for the invitation and for their efforts in creating a more sustainable future. 🌱

🌿

🌿 Green skills are no longer just for environmental professionals.

Whether you’re an engineer, accountant, HR professional, marketer, IT specialist, architect, manager, or entrepreneur, sustainability is becoming part of how organizations operate, innovate, and grow.

Today, employers are increasingly looking for professionals who can:

✅ Understand sustainability challenges and opportunities

✅ Think beyond traditional business practices

✅ Contribute to ESG and climate-related initiatives

✅ Drive resource efficiency and innovation

✅ Adapt to the changing world of work

The question is no longer:

“Do I need a career in sustainability?”

The question is:

“Do I have the green skills needed to remain relevant in the future?”

That’s why through Eco Hive we created the Green Skills Accelerator Program (GSAP) – Cohort 02.

A practical, hands-on learning journey designed to help undergraduates, graduates, and young professionals build future-ready green skills and apply them through real-world learning experiences.

📅 Starts: 27 June 2026
💻 Hybrid Format
🎓 Certificate + Digital Badge + Capstone Project + Networking Opportunities

⚠️ Only 15 participants will be selected to ensure a highly interactive and engaging learning experience.

👇 Application link is available in the bio.

Would your current job benefit from sustainability knowledge? Let us know in the comments.

Employability ESG ClimateAction ProfessionalDevelopment GreenFutureNetwork

𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗙𝗧
𝗣𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟮 is here to spark real change! 🌱🌍

Join us for the Orientation Program with,

* 𝗠𝗿. 𝗦𝘂𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗮 𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝘃𝗮 , Journalist, Editor of Earthlanka
* 𝗠𝗿𝘀. 𝗨𝗽𝗲𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗮 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗷𝗶𝗻𝗶 , Founder at Eco Hive Sustainable Company
* 𝗠𝗿. 𝗔𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗮 𝗟𝗼𝗸𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 , Lecturer at University of Colombo, Sripalee campus

as they share insights on building a plastic-free future 💚🍃

Be part of the ZeroPlastic Colombo Community on 𝟭𝟭𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 at 𝗦𝗿𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀, University of Colombo.

𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣 𝙚-𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙯𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮.

Design by : Kushadi Fonseka
Caption by : Kasun Kavishka

💡 Good lighting does more than help us see. It helps us feel better too.

Have you ever noticed how some indoor spaces feel bright, comfortable, and welcoming?

That’s the power of good lighting.

As one of the key elements of Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), lighting can influence our mood, comfort, productivity, and overall wellbeing.

This is why green buildings focus not only on saving energy, but also on creating healthy spaces for people.

🌱 A sustainable building is not just good for the environment, it should be good for the people inside it too.

LightingDesign Wellbeing