In a corporate world where internships often begin and end with observation, AmCham Sri Lanka’s Bootcamp 2025 was refreshingly different, deliberate in its structure, thoughtful in its intent, and transformational in its impact. Designed in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka and powered by Mastercard, the Bootcamp was more than just a line item on a student’s resume. It was a deep dive into the real-world expectations of leadership, communication, adaptability, and innovation.
With a dynamic agenda, the AmCham Bootcamp 2025 delivered its promise to empower the next generation of Sri Lankan professionals with mentorship, training, and industry exposure.
Golden Standard of Internship Programs
Over three months, this transformative program nurtured the next generation of professionals through mentorship, training, field visits, and real-world insights.
The Bootcamp’s design was deliberately crafted to move far beyond the typical “observe and absorb” internship model. It offered a layered developmental experience, where each touchpoint was thoughtfully constructed to build knowledge, sharpen soft skills, and cultivate leadership capacity. Rather than limiting interns to passive exposure, the program actively engaged them through structured learning modules, facilitated reflection, mentor-led guidance, and application-based assignments.
Every component, from the immersive workshops and field visits to the team challenges and pitch presentations, was designed to stretch their thinking, enhance their emotional intelligence, and push them to step into their potential. The goal wasn’t just to prepare students for the workplace, it was to help them understand who they are as future professionals, what they stand for, and how they can contribute meaningfully in any organizational setting. This inward-outward learning model is what truly set the Bootcamp apart.
The top 3 mentees from the Pitch Competition proudly presented their reflections, showcasing the growth and impact of their journey.
Anver Associates worked on shortlisting 20 mentees from over 150 applications. This included speaking to universities to submit all cv’s, cv reviews, interviewing and managing attendance across all sessions and trainings. At the end of the programme 18 mentees graduated from the programme with representation from 6 universities and 5 fields of study.
Anver Associates worked with AmCham Sri Lanka to identify mentors from across their portfolio of members. Following getting them on board, Anver Associates managed all communication with Mentors on crucial dates, identifying mentees progress and any other tips and support they may need.
Anver Associates onboarded Luminary Learning Solutions as a partner and worked on a structure for the programme which included trainings by Luminary to do with each task on the framework which finally led to a Pitch Competition. Winners of the Pitch Competition then showcased their learnings to the U.S. Ambassador and key personnel at the Closing Ceremony held at the U.S. Embassy.
Further, worked with Mentors and other member companies to include workshops (Virtusa, Microsoft and Sysco Labs) and Field Visits (Bank of Ceylon, Coca Cola and MAS Fabric Park).
Our deepest appreciation to Safra Anver of Anver Associates for driving this project on behalf of AmCham SL. Her diligence, attention to detail, and above all, her passion for empowering youth, were instrumental in making this initiative a true success.
This program reflects the principles of American business excellence—where investing in talent, building strong partnerships, and shaping the next generation of leaders can drive growth and innovation in both of our countries. Looking forward to the 2026 Bootcamp!
A program of this scale is only possible when planning, communication, and coordination are executed with precision, care, and a human touch. Thank you to Safra & Anver Associates, for being the operational backbone behind the scenes.