Girls’Day originated in Germany and has grown into the world’s largest career orientation initiative for schoolgirls. Each year, companies, businesses and universities across Germany open their doors to girls, introducing them to study programmes and training professions in IT, skilled trades, natural sciences and engineering, where women remain underrepresented. Participants also meet female role models in leadership positions from business and politics.
Despite strong educational outcomes, many young women still choose from a narrow range of traditional career paths and rarely pursue technical or scientific professions. Often this is due to limited exposure to these fields or the lack of visible female role models. Initiatives such as Girls’Day therefore play an important role at an early age, when career aspirations and interests are first being formed, rather than only after graduation when many decisions have already been made. By introducing girls to different industries and role models early on, AHK Sri Lanka aims to broaden career perspectives for young women while also helping companies attract the skilled talent they need for the future.
Partners for Empowerment
The 2nd edition of Girls’Day in Sri Lanka was made possible through the collaboration between The Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka), the Goethe-Institut Sri Lanka, and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Sri Lanka.
The Goethe-Institut Sri Lanka played an important role in connecting AHK Sri Lanka with participating schools and helping reach motivated students interested in exploring new career paths. GIZ Sri Lanka, through its Vocational Training in Sri Lanka (VTSL) project, facilitated the participation of young women from the National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) training programmes, enabling them to take part in company visits and gain exposure to professional environments.
This collaboration reflects a shared commitment among German institutions and development partners in Sri Lanka to support education, career orientation, and gender equality in the workplace.
Experiencing the Workplace First-Hand
A central element of Girls’Day is the opportunity for schoolgirls to visit companies and experience different workplaces directly. This year, several AHK Sri Lanka partner companies opened their doors to the participants, including:
- Aitken Spence Travels (Pvt.) Ltd.
- Contential Sri Lanka
- DIMO
- Häfele India (Pvt.) Ltd
- Hilton Colombo Residences
Across these company visits, around 70 girls participated in interactive programmes designed to introduce them to the companies’ industries and everyday working environments. Activities included guided workplace tours, hands-on demonstrations, practical exercises, and discussions with employees. A key highlight of these visits was the opportunity for participants to interact with female professionals working in technical, operational, and management roles, who shared insights into their career journeys and answered questions about entering different industries.
Through these experiences, the girls gained a deeper understanding of workplace environments, professional skills, and the wide range of career opportunities available across different sectors. Connecting the girls with female company representatives helped lower the barriers to asking questions and engaging in personal exchanges, while also providing them with relatable real-life role models.
Girls’Day at AHK Sri Lanka
For the first time, a group of students also spent the day at the AHK Sri Lanka office, participating in an interactive programme designed to introduce them to the work of The German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHKs), more specifically about the day-to-day tasks and duties of the team of AHK Sri Lanka.
Through activities such as an office scravenger hunt and exchanges with female professionals, the participants learned about AHK Sri Lanka’s role in strengthening economic cooperation between Germany and Sri Lanka. DAAD Information Centre Colombo also introduced the students to study opportunities connected to Germany and AHK Sri Lanka’s Vocational Training manager contributed through interactive discussions on various career paths.
Why Girls’Day Matters in Sri Lanka
Initiatives such as Girls’Day play an important role in encouraging young women to explore career paths they may not have previously considered. In many sectors—particularly in technical professions, engineering, and leadership positions—female representation remains limited.
By providing early exposure to professional environments and direct interaction with role models, Girls’Day helps challenge stereotypes, broaden career perspectives, and inspire young women to pursue ambitious professional goals.
At the same time, the initiative strengthens the connection between schools, companies, and institutions, creating opportunities for dialogue about future skills and career pathways.
Looking Ahead
By bringing together businesses, educators, and students, the initiative contributes to building a more inclusive and diverse future workforce in Sri Lanka.
AHK Sri Lanka extends its sincere appreciation to Goethe-Institut Sri Lanka, GIZ Sri Lanka, DAAD Information Centre Colombo and the partner companies Aitken Spence Travels, Continental, DIMO, Häfele and Hilton Colombo Residences, as well as the participating institution (Child Action Lanka, Jennings International, NAITA, Steiner College, The Magic Key Academy & Co.) and their girls, for their valuable support in making Girls’Day 2026 an inspiring experience for the young participants.
We are looking forward to continuing this initiative with a 3rd edition in 2027.
AHK Sri Lanka is part of the global German Chamber Network, supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). With over 150 locations in 93 countries, the AHKs support German and local companies with their international business development, offering expertise, connections, and tailored services. As an essential partner of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry (IHKs) in Germany, AHKs operate in countries of strategic importance to German enterprises worldwide.
