Training Youth for Employability
One of the best forms of education is to equip the youth with skills and competencies that would make them employable and innovative.
While some NGOs provide opportunities for vocational skills to youth, most of them are unable to find suitable employment. The few who do are unable to sustain it. We believe that it is essential to give young adults a set of skills and exposure to prepare them for employability apart from training NGO staff who works with these youth.
In the last decade or so, the increase in population of unemployed youth coupled with a lack of availability of skilled manpower for industrial growth, has highlighted the issue of Employability Skills and Job-linkage. Skill development of youth to make them employable in line with market requirements is now recognized as one of the highest priority areas for our country.
Employability results from several factors – a foundation of core skills, access to education, availability of training opportunities, motivation, ability and support to take advantage of opportunities for continuous learning, and recognition of acquired skills – and is critical for enabling students to attain decent work and manage.
BLSL’s Skills Development and Placement (BSDP) Project is designed with the perspective of strengthening the skills of the students in terms of soft skills required for entry, growth and success in the chosen careers in the prevailing globalized industrial environment.
Subsequent to the workshop held at your Centre, Bright Futures in November 2015.
I have designed a soft skills module specially keeping the children we met and their specific needs in mind. I noted that they need English, Spoken and Written skills, Personality development and Employment skills.
Keeping in mind that they are such keen and intelligent learners, I recommend the following three major modules which could help them enhance their innate skills.
Employability Skills
A full life skills and employability skills program for adolescents on the verge of finishing their school education.
Spoken and Written English
This program designed to help young people improve their confidence levels as well as chances of succeeding in higher education as well as employment It is designed to prepare underprivileged youth, having basic awareness/exposure to English during schooling in Government run, non-English medium schools.
- We aim to equip our trainees with sufficient vocabulary and confidence to be able to converse in English in everyday situations. And particularly in the workplace-with seniors, customers and others.
- It also gives them the behavioral and social skills to confidently give presentations in work and non-work situations as also to speak in public forums.
- Special attention is focused on reducing their fear of the English language, and increasing their desire and skills of learning so that they continue to learn to improve their vocabulary and speaking skills.
- This Language Project coupled with technological intervention is an attempt to overcome the challenge presented by the inability of underprivileged youth to get reinforcement for their newly acquired English language skills in their home environments.
- Learning and practicing English is hard for students once they leave the classroom as they are unlikely to have access to other English speakers; their families are unlikely to accommodate their requests to watch / listen to English language TV stations /radio stations and English is not spoken in their local communities.
This Language project will be for a period of 3 months for one hour and five days a week, which will include-
- Spoken English Classes
- Functional English
- Audio Content where pre-recorded sessions can be played again
- Vocabulary
- Everyday English
Personal management skills
The combination of skills, attitudes and behavior required to get, keep and progress in a job and to achieve the best results.
- Self-esteem and confidence honesty, integrity and personal ethics
- A positive attitude toward learning, growth and personal health
- Initiative, energy, and persistence to get the job done
- Body Language- Eye Contact, Appearance, First Impression, Grooming
- The ability to set goals and priorities in work and personal life
- The ability to plan and manage time, money and other resources to achieve goals
- Accountability for actions taken adaptability
- A positive attitude toward change o the ability to identify and suggest new ideas to get the job done (creativity)
- Self- Confidence and Body Language
- Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Skills
- Interview Skills
- Handling Finances
- How to set up their own business
Career Guidance Sessions
The main objective is that at the end of these workshops all students will have identified educational and career paths suitable for them.
This will be conducted by industry experts or career counselors at the center once a week for three months.
The kids will be engaged for two hours in the day, five days a week for these modules and once a week three days for Expert Speakers.
The commercials for all the three modules for 3 months – English, Personal Management and Career Counseling are 2 lakhs (Indian Rupees).
N.B- We also have designed a program called Chetna (Awareness) – Life Education & Life Skills Program for Boys and Girls. The details of which can be sent separately on request.
Sources:
NSDC
BLUE LOTUS SCHOOL OF LEARNING
Drishtikone Consulting