In 2022, Graduated with PhD in the discipline of Huma Resource Management, Organisational behaviour and Sustainable agricultural development. Thesis titled “The role of skilled migration in Australian dairy farming and implications for agricultural workforce development”, The University of Melbourne. This was supervised by Prof. Ruth Nettle (leading researcher in the field of Human Resource Management, Agriculture and food). My PhD research was funded by Dairy Australia Scholarship. 

I investigated the employment of a migrant workforce. This is a key strategy for both the Australian Government and employers to address workforce labour and skill shortages. The research investigated the role of skilled migration visa subclass 457 on dairy farms. The study shows that human resource practices, access to migration agents and permanent residency enable both farms and skilled migrants to achieve their goals. Combined effects on policies and farm practices need direction in agricultural workforce development. PhD research output was cited and contributed to the extension requested from the Australian government for a skilled migration programme related to the Australian dairy industry. The Intermediate findings of my PhD research was cited in” Background material for consultation on skilled occupation lists June 2018” by Australian Dairy farmers & Dairy Australia in 2018.

My PhD research project was funded by an Dairy Australia scholarship. Prior to commencing my PhD, I worked in Human Resources, administration, and student capability building. This has given me an opportunity in applying and managing  Resrch grants.

At CQU Melbourne campus I teach both Post graduate and undergraduate units. At, CQU I received very good student evaluations and high teaching scores. Teaching/sub coordinating Postgraduate/undergraduate units are as follows. 

HRMT20024 Managing Human Resources 

HRMT11011 Organisational Behaviour 

HRMT19016 Contemporary HRM Issues                    

HRMT 19021Principles of Employment Relations 

HRMT19021 Principles of Employment Relations

HRMT19012 Performance Management 

HRMT19016 Human Resources Planning, Recruitment & Selection 

HRMT11011 Human Resource Management 

Both before and during my PhD candidature, I was involved in university teaching and student supervision.   Completing my Bachelors, I have worked as a teaching/research assistant at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. During each semester, I supervised one final year undergraduate student to guide them through the completion of their research projects.  Also after completing my MSc, I   supervised two Masters' students for their research projects at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Additionally, I provided support to a fellow PhD colleague who facing challenges in completing her research project at the University of Melbourne. In this capacity, I proofread several thesis chapters and provided feedbacks for the authors consideration. I also have overseas experience working as a part-time Student Adviser/Mentor at Tec Sri Lanka and my main responsibilities were to build students' capacity, confidence and help students in finding their career pathways and industrial placements. Currently, I co-superving a Masters student, University of Melbourne.

I Successfully completed professional development in education at School of Education, University of Melbourne including Teaching and Learning Design for Experienced Sessional Teachers, 2020; Practical workshop series for small-group teaching: Questioning strategies in the classroom/Activities for encouraging interaction, 2020; Foundations of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Researchers, 2020; Advanced Skills for Sessional Teachers, 2019; Online Induction for Sessional Teachers, 2019; Melbourne Teaching Certificate for Graduate Researchers, 2017. 

I have a keen interest in and passion in teaching and I would like to advance my career in the fields of teaching and research. My expertise areas are workforce development, skilled migration, and human resource management (employee attraction and retention, employer-employee relationships). Herewith I would like to be available for RHD supervision and for any other research activities at CQU

-The University of Melbourne, Australia

-Central Queensland University, Australia

-The University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

-The University of Melbourne, Australia

-Central Queensland University, Australia

-The University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

· 1^st runner-up: Best oral presenter, 2019 Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, Research Symposium, University of Melbourne

· Postgraduate research scholarship from Dairy Australia 2014 to conduct doctoral studies at the University of Melbourne

· Grandfathers scholarship in 2015 and 2016, University of Melbourne

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

1)Sessional Lecturer & Tutor: Central Queensland University // 2019 – Present (part-time)

2)Instructor | Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne // 2016 – 2024 (part-time)

3) Sessional teacher Physics: Monash College // 2023 – 2024

4) Ambassador (Advancing Students and Education) | Office of the Provost | The University of Melbourne//2022-Present (part-time)

5) Teaching Assistant |Victorian Primary & Secondary Schools |2022-Present (part-time)

6) Postgraduate Researcher | Dairy Australia/ Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne // 2014 – 2020 (part-time)

7)Child Care Assistant | Malvern Kids, Clever Kids // 2008 – 2009 (part-time)

8)Staff Coordinator-HR | Ceylon Electricity Board, Sri Lanka // 2006-2008 (Full-time) 

9)Development Assistant (Marketing & Promotion) | Department of Export Agriculture, Sri Lanka // 2004-2005 (Full-time)

10)Student Adviser/Mentor | Tec Sri Lanka // 2003-2005 (Part-time)

11)School Maths Teacher (Grade 4 to 12: Edexcel Syllabus) | Ecole Internationale, Sri Lanka // 2003-2005 (Full-time)

12)Teaching Assistant/Demonstrator | University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka // 2002-2003 (Full-time)

Central Queensland University // 2019 – Present (part-time)-Responsibilities

·         Provide online and face-to-face lectures, arranging class meeting through Zoom and marking (assignments/exam papers) assistants through LMS: MOODLE and moderate assignment/exam marks.

·         Sub-coordinate in designing and updating lecture materials for these subjects: Human Resources Planning, Recruitment & Selection, Human Resource Management, Performance Management, Principles of Employment Relations, Organisational Behaviour and Perspectives on Organisational Change.

·         Collaborate with other campus lecturers to maintain the consistency of teaching materials with a student-centred approach focusing on student educational success. 

Instructor | Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne // 2016 – 2024 (part-time): Responsibilities

·         Sub Coordinate the Human resource management subject, University of Melbourne. 

·         Facilitate hybrid lectures, teaching and learning support for Human Resource Management unit and design rubrics on BLACKBOARD/CANVAS in line with teaching standards. 

·         Deliver online teaching and learning support for Managing Innovation & Change, Agricultural Advisory Practice & Theory units and design rubrics on CANVAS in line with University of Melbourne teaching standards. 

·         Mark student assignments/exam papers, moderation of assignment/exam marks.

·         Respond to student queries in academic matters and take responsibility for approving students’ special consideration and reefer students to university academic skills units, counselling, and financial services.

·         Design weekly teaching plans.

·         Monitor student success to understand their challenges in student learning and research projects and build their confidence in finding industrial and research funding. 

·         Achieve a high student success rate for teaching modules and engage with Student Management System (CQUni Success). 

·         Refer both international and domestic students to university academic skills units, counselling, and financial services to manage and resolve sensitive student issues.

Teaching and Research in the field of Huan resource management

My PhD research out has few novel and knowledge contribution to psychological contract theory in Australian dairy farm skilled migrant employment. Additionally, PhD research out has few contributions to the Australian migration policies and practices in Agriculture workforce development and knowledge addition to the employers conceptualisation of employees skills. Further, the conceptual framework of the research addresses the enterprise-level processes, system networks and interactions in the context of system level workforce development, which is a novel contribution from the study.

Key Achievements:

·         Awarded the Silver Certificate with a teaching score of 4.3 for the Recruitment & Selection subject, the highly commended unit, in Term 2, 2019. 

·         Received a teaching score of 4.6 for delivering a lecture series on the Principles of Employment Relations and Performance Management subjects for undergraduate students in 2020. 

·         Received a teaching score of 4.6 for delivering a lecture series on Managing Human Resources for postgraduate students in 2023

·         Developed and introduced a new, user-friendly database system to efficiently manage employee records and documents for Ceylon Electricity Board, Srilanka

·        as a Development Assistant,  Organized a farmer-buyer awareness campaign within a short timeframe by proposing a conference for farmers, export and local buyers and professionally qualified guest speakers from industry and universities which was approved and endorsed.  Designed employee events with the aim of enhancing farmers-buyers real-time engagement by demonstrating valid, timely reasons and future potential benefits. 

Nvivo

PhD research output was cited and contributed to the extension requested from the Australian government for a skilled migration programme related to the Australian dairy industry. The Intermediate findings of my PhD research was cited in” Background material for consultation on skilled occupation lists June 2018” by Australian Dairy farmers & Dairy Australia in 2018.