THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Twenty-nine-year-old Alex Benzily, a B-Tech graduate, works as a security personnel in Technopark. When he passed out of college, the backlogs played spoilsport in fetching a good job. Now all the back papers have been cleared. But with not much exposure to soft skills, he hasn’t been able to jumpstart his career and join the elite league of IT professionals. But this ambitious youngster believes that the ‘finishing school’ that has started in Technopark might just help fetch himself a career in engineering.
The local chapter of Empowering Women in IT (eWIT) at Technopark has started the ‘Future Ready’ programme, a corporate bridge programme which will act as a finishing school for the children of support staff. The 11-day programme aimed at the wards of the support staff at Technopark and those graduates doing odds jobs in the IT hub kicked off last week at the Park Centre in Technopark. “Where I studied, we didn’t get any exposure to soft skills training.
When I heard about such a programme, I enlisted myself in it. The programme has given a new insight and I believe that this will help me in pursuing a career in my the field I am trained in!” says Alex.Among the 100 plus applications received, 12 graduates have been selected for the programme. With a host of modules, the 32-hour training programme will train students in basic computer skills, interview and communication skills. “We are trying to bridge the gap in their employability.
They might be academically brilliant and technically adept, but with no exposure to soft skills, they often fail to clear the preliminary round. With this, we are reaching out to our extended family in Technopark,” says Radhika Viswanathan, vice president of eWIT.
A team of expert HR professionals of various companies in the Technopark is mentoring the students, with everyone going pro bono for the cause. The 11-day programme has been structured around building confidence, imparting professional etiquette and grooming the students. “We have received a mixed bag of students. There engineering graduates as well.
After the programme, they will be given certificates as well,” she adds. The help will be extended until the students get placement in companies. “The thrust is to mould them in such a manner that they get to apply for jobs at least as a front-line executive. These are students who could never get the exposure that those in the mainstream receives,” says Sindhu Varma, the COO of De’Antz Technological Solutions and the sponsor of the project.
“Their resumes will be sent for consideration for future recruitments in Technopark. The students can also revert to us for any support,” she adds.“This was a pilot project. The infrastructure, module and trainers are ready now. So if we get students we can have other batches. It is envisaged as a continuous social inclusion project,” says Radhika.