After completing the one year course in eleven months, the staff of cartography appreciated my performance and awarded excellent grading for the final project and for the design. After returning to my motherland I was awarded the post of map production officer of the department I worked for, subsequently, I was made the local counterpart for all foreign-funded projects on mapping conducted by the World Bank, CIDA, Norad, and Jica. All my outputs were highly appreciated by the respective project directors and the director of my department too.
Due to my experience gathered in soil and land use mapping over a period of 20 years, I was selected as a UN volunteer specialist for a solid mapping project in Botswana in 1988. Later in 1992, the project made me an FAO cartography consultant. On my return to Sri Lanka, I was selected as a national consultant in cartography for landslide hazard mapping project conducted by UNCHS project. After serving the project for three years I joined the National Hydrographic Office of Sri Lanka as a chief cartographer/consultant cartographer where I headed the Nautical Chart Preparation Unit. As you can see all these fields differ from one another. The secret behind my success is the vast knowledge I gathered from studying at ITC.
Finally, I left Public Service after working as the secretary / administrative assistant of DEOCOM project conducted by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Fisheries. Presently I work as a freelancer. At the ripe old age of 74 years, I am leading a peaceful life.
I suppose my SUCCESS STORY SHOULD BE AN EYE OPENER FOR ALL PRESENT AND FUTURE ITC STUDENTS. I owe my success to Professor Ormeling sr. and all the old staff who are living and deceased and worked at the cartography department in 1974.
Sunil Fernando
ITC Alumnus 1974