When Vinod MM realised the huge disparity between the expectation of students and job roles in the market, he envisioned Ace Skill, an organisation that aims to bridge this gap. Vinod, who had earlier been working as Vice-President at Everonn Skill Development Ltd, founded Ace Skill in July 2013 along with his wife Ranjini and daughter Shruthi. The organisation provides skill development programmes in various sectors, ensuring that the skills imparted are marketable and industry relevant. The programmes run for a duration of 30 to 45 days. Their focus is on economically backward sections of the community, where they cater to college dropouts, semi-skilled workers and those who are skilled but not certified.
The target age group is 18-35, with almost 75 per cent of the candidates being women. Based in Chennai, the organisation also trains people in Bihar, Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
“In the next few decades, 60 to 70 per cent of India’s population will be of working age. In spite of this large human resource, we have a dearth of skilled people due to lack of proper training and market-oriented education. We need to make sure that we are ready for the big industrial revolution,” says Shruthi.
Skill training is provided in the following areas
Retail
The programmes offered are Certificate Course in Retailing (CCR), Certificate Course in Store Operations (CCSO) and Customised Course on Store Operations-Up Skilling
Hospitality and Tourism
The programmes offered are Front desk associate, Front office operations (GDP- Graduate Development Programme), Guest Reception Associate, Commercial Food Service Associate, Guest Service Associate – Food and Beverage, Guest Service Associate – Food and Beverage service (GDP), Food & Beverage Service Associate – Level A, Food and Beverage Service Associate – Level B, Commercial Chef’s Assistant, Certified Baker’s Assistant, Facilities Operator, Certified Food Server and Facilities Operator, Certificate in Accommodation Operations, employability skills and excellence in English.
Apparel and Textile
Sewing machine operator (hand and machine embroidery), Aari and Zardosi, jute bag making and paper bag making and block printing and design.
Beauty and Wellness
Programmes offered are Beauty Culture and Hair Dressing
Other sectors include Solar Energy System-Integrator Service, Cellphone Service, Computer Hardware Services, Desktop Publishing, Laptop Service, Office Automation – MS Office, TALLY ERP 9 and Web Designing.
“Ace Skill follows a well developed method of training. We try to identify the need of the market and the aspirations of the students and match them,” says Shruthi.
What’s interesting about the organisation is that most of its students go on to take the entrepreneurial route. Thirty-year-old Tamil Selvi is one such student who has benefited from the training she received at Ace Skill. She underwent a one-month training programme in textile and apparel design and now runs her own tailoring shop in Karur, Salem. “Before I took the course, I had a degree, but I couldn’t find a job that would help me balance work and home. But now, I find time for both. I didn’t have any practical skills before. Thanks to Ace Skill, now I can stitch clothes for people in my village,” says Tamil Selvi
Pre-programme counseling sessions
Trainers first interact with potential candidates, find out their fields of interest, abilities and aspirations. Then, they explain what their programmes would offer, what skills they would be equipped with at the end of the course, and provide them with genuine information about what opportunities are available in the market, thus helping students set a realistic goal. They also engage with the parents in order to ensure the commitment of students.
Post-Programme/ Pre-placement support
Due to the extensive links the organisation has with industries, it is able to find vacancies and groom their candidates to fill up those positions. They also run orientation programmes, where industrialists come and explain what they are looking for in candidates.
Post-placement support
What’s unique about the organisation’s model of work is its post placement support. Ace Skill keeps in touch with its trainees for six months after their placement to ensure they are satisfied with their work. Any grievances they have are brought to the notice of the employer.
Partnerships
About 65 per cent of the organisation’s programmes are government programmes. For example, in Kerala, they offer programmes under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Koushalya Yojana scheme of the Ministry of Rural Development. Ace Skill partners with the National Skill Development Corporation to offer the STAR Scheme (Standard Training Assessment and Reward) to give candidates the opportunity to be certified and also be rewarded for successful completion of the course as part of the Monetary Reward Scheme. Ace Skill also partners with institutions like Retailers Association’s Skill Council of India (RASCI) and Agriculture Skill Council of India (ASCI).
Ace Skill has changed the lives of many by making them independent. “Today, I earn about Rs 200-300 per day. The training I received not only taught me to stitch, but also how to start my own business,” says Tamil Selvi. The organisation aims to become ‘a world class supplier of skill-based education’ and is working toward creating ‘one lakh skilled individuals by 2017’.
blessy@newindianexpress.com