by Rochelle Palipane Gunaratne
A few years back the word outbound training received a new lease in life! Gone are the days when companies or school outings were merely about singing songs, playing random games, and letting it slip out of your memory once you got home.
At present, companies, schools, and other entities invest a significant sum of money for their employees or students to hone in on developing their skills and building unity through various outdoor training programs.
Inadvertently, the number of adventure sports, and companies offering attractive training programs has increased throughout the years. Yet, it is important to dig deeper or do some sleuthing prior to investing in the best program on offer.
The proverbial “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” rings true, which is the main reason for folks to optimize on these adventure programs which are a source of learning. The lessons learnt through these resonate throughout the lives of those involved and creates a stronger bond within the teams.
The tête- à- tête with Major Raajiv Wanigasekerawas, an expert in the field was an eye- opener
Major Raajiv Wanigasekera takes his role in outdoor training to heart, with honorary credentials to his name, his knowledge and expertise in this sphere makes him a linchpin in this field. He is the Founder/ Director Training & Operations, the Chief Facilitator Outdoor Training, Game Changer at Adventure Education.
He is an alumni of S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia and a graduate from the Pakistan Military Academy. Besides serving with the elite 4 Armoured Regiment, Sri Lanka Armoured Corps and being attached to the Special Forces, he was actively involved in conducting Military training at all levels, including mission oriented special operations. He has also held office in various command and staff and training positions.
A paratrooper and a SCUBA diver who has seen combat in many fronts, he is highly decorated for bravery in combat and has been seriously injured in the line of duty. Raajiv retired as a Major with 15 years of distinguished service.
Major Raajiv has also worked at Brandix as Head of Group communication, and as AGM HR & Administration at United Motors PLC/ TVS Lanka. Imagination, creativity and planning are his core strengths. He specializes in customizing programs to suit the clients’ need. He has over 300 training programs formulated locally and internationally to his credit. Currently, he is involved full time in Outdoor Training and also consults on Human Resource Development and Training.
He holds a degree / diploma in Military science, Disaster management & Human Resources and is presently reading for his MBA. Major Wanigasekera is one of the few Sri Lankans who qualified as a White- Water Rescue Technician. He is also an active EXCO member of S.Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia, and a Committee member of the Wild Life & Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka.
Adventure Education
A passion for the great outdoors sparked Raajiv and his friend to launch their own company.
“We developed a love for nature and adventure as boy scouts, which was further nurtured by our parents. As adults we chose separate career paths, with me joining the army and he the corporate sector, yet we retained our friendship through various sports such as kayaking, camping and mountain biking as we derived immense pleasure through sports that revolved around nature.
Subsequently we developed a knack for sharing our knowledge with colleagues and friends, which gradually sparked an initiative called Adventure Education, which was launched in 2003.”
The facilitation, including team development activities, adventure and out-of-the-box corporate experiential, indoor and outdoor initiatives have led the company to the forefront in its field
A Sea of Options:
Raajiv runs his operation from a resplendent 50 acre land built and facilitated for adventure seekers. It is a natural teak plantation which provides an ideal setting for a training facility located on the banks of Maha-Oya.
The close- proximity to Colombo and easy access to the location makes it a preferred choice for outdoor training programs. In addition to top of the range facilities, the property which is named ‘Othara’ has its own in-house Chefs which concoct a variety of authentic Sri Lankan dishes, and much more.
“The campsite provides accommodation to 180 people in tents and billet type accommodation and is considered one of the biggest training facilities / campsites in the country. Apart from ‘Othara,’ we have access to many sites island-wide and the uniqueness of our operation is its “lifting capacity” as all the facilities can be moved to other locations. As in all options the client can select the most preferred site as well. We are renowned for our mobility, flexibility, adaptability, and our innate love for nature.
Our packages are customized to suit the requirement of the HR development offices in all functioning sectors from the corporate, banking, universities, schools. We give attention to detail, for instance we provide a variable, on point training which is beneficial and affordable to the customer and follow up to gain the feedback as we value the input.
We offer Experiential learning, Team building, Soft skills developments and Coaching, Adventure based activities, Zip line, Slacklining, Mountain biking, Water zorbing, Military grade obstacle course, Air rifling, Archery, White water rafting, Flat water rafting and Kayaking, Specialty activities, Amazing Race (This activity is based on a popular TV reality show. The brand is locally registered to Adventure Education, and the program can be conducted in any location island wide), Paint balling, Ultimate team cook-out, Orienteering, Backwoodsman skills training, Outdoor corporate events,
Further, we have established Sri Lanka’s first ever ATV (All- terrain vehicle), and SUV technical tracks which will enable enthusiasts to practice to their hearts content and learn the art of ‘off roading’ and the correct use of recovery gear etc.
Our programs can be customized to suit any need, from half day and full day options, multi-day options to post-event milestones and follow through.
Surmise it say, we have a sea of options for the client to choose from and it enables us to provide the most suitable package available,” informed Raajiv.
The Advantages of Outdoor Training Programs
These value- added programs manifests a behavioral change as it requires getting out of their comfort zone, and it provides a great platform for experimental learning and it is guaranteed to make you a better person. “Their thrown into the proverbial ‘deep’ with none but each other to hang on to, and they have to make a herculean effort, test their inner strengths, and endurance levels to achieve success individually and as a team.”
Safety First
“As in all matters concerning the wild, one must be aware that it comes with no foolproof guarantee of safety, yet with us there are no holds barred when it comes to safety,” stressed Raajiv. “We use a range of reputed brands and all the activities are assessed by certified safety officers. Risk taking is mitigated due to excessive precautionary measures and we are prepared to handle any eventuality having facilitator trained locally and internationally on life saving, first-aid and CPR and rope rescue ” stated he.
Our Mission:
“Our mission is to spearhead outdoor training, experiential learning, and adventure facilitation in Sri Lanka, with key focus on innovation, safety, sustainability, and customer satisfaction. With experience in designing and delivering programs, events and solutions for major international & local corporate clients and organizations over the past 13 years, the Company combines youthful energy with experienced expertise. Our strength lies in our ability to create ‘tailor-made’ training solutions as per clients’ requirements.
I idolize the methodologies of Sir Richard Branson and Robin Sharma who have shaken the thought process of the corporate world by their brand of thinking. It is clearly out-of-the-box, and out of the realm of many mainstream individuals who fail to make a statement due to archaic methods they follow. We need to muster the courage to make the change and be the change by growing with the parameters of time and opting for brand new ways of motivating our employees, students, and other subordinates in order to reach the zenith.
Most often the management finds employees lacking motivation despite the umpteenth meetings, but our programs tend to make them more productive by incorporating the learning element.
“We offer new and innovative experiences which are based on the element of fun and adventure,” concluded, Raajiv, who encapsulated the basic prerequisite for effective learning, which should always be intermingled with a spark of adventure …..
Address : Adventure Education – Sri Lanka 192/6, Robert Gunawardene Mawatha, Pelawatta, Battaramulla.
Hotline :+94 770 77 88 55
Email : raajiv@adventure.lk