ASAP powers his Dream

ASAP powers his Dream

“ASAP can change a lazy boy who never wants to go to classes into a responsible learner” words of Krishnappan, Father of Arjun Krishna who was a student of summer skill DOAP course “ Smart phone Repair Technician”. He was an average student with no dreams at all. It is very surprising to see a person with no dreams. But Arjun was one of them. He was not noticed by any of his teachers in the class. Actually they never tried to recognize his talents. He had no plan to continue his studies after plus two.

“I Noticed Arjun Krishna from the very first day. Arjun was the only student who wanted to study the course for a job.  He took the course as he was very interested to do some technical course. He was also well aware of the opportunities as a smart Phone Repair Technician”; says the Program Manager. 

Arjun had to walk almost 3 km to reach the bus stop. He never come late to the classes. It showed his perseverance in doing something he wants. Trainer Mr Shiburaj also treat him as promising Smart Phone Repair Technician. According to Mr Shiburaj , all the students of course are efficient but Arjun is a star among them. He is very reserved by nature who rarely ask in doubts. But in practical classes, he shows his great excellence in work without any hesitation. 

His father Mr Krishnappan is an ex-serviceman. Due to some health problems, his father couldn’t continue his job and he opted for voluntary retirement. His mother is working in a coir company. Very normal middle class family who strives very hard to achieve their small goals in life. The biggest dream his parents ever had is to educate their children properly. His father said that he wants his children to be expert in his profession. It was Arjun’s choice to select the Smart phone Repair course. His father want him to take “Accounting and Taxation “course as he thought it will be more helpful for boosting his career as he was a commerce student. But Arjun was not interested in doing the same.  

He could complete the course with 96% attendance. He was very interested to do internship immediately after the course. But unfortunately he got affected by chicken pox after course. He couldn’t attend the internship meeting also.  But his father attended the meeting held at SL Puram SDC. We promised his father that we will make some arrangements for his internship when he becomes relived. But even after 1 month, we dint get any call from Arjun. We called him more than 5 times considering his interest to the course. But he dint attend any calls. After one month he informed me about his father’s ill health condition.  He was admitted in the hospital. However, he could complete the internship from Excellent Mobiles Vazhichery. 

After internship, he got placed in Prime Sell Mobiles, Alappuzha. Had a meeting with the HR after his placement. HR Manager told us that Arjun is very efficient in his work. Now he is earning 6000 per month as a trainee. He could get 9000 after 3 months of training which great amount for his family is. His family is very happy in his achievement. 

“I could say proudly that ASAP gave an opportunity to a student who never dreamt anything into a boy full of dreams to become efficient technician. To change some one’s life style and mentality is something great to achieve”. Says the Program Manager.

ASAP transformed My Life

ASAP transformed My Life                                    

This is the story of real transformation of a student by ASAP.  When we asked students about the classes and facilities, no one was ready to give any reply. We thought that they have problem in sharing their opinion in English. So we encouraged them to speak in Malayalam and then try it in English. Suddenly a girl who came confidently and said they got a wonderful opportunity by ASAP so that they could understand the various opportunities of beauty sector around them. Ms Aryamol had completed summer skill DOAP course “Certificate course in assistant beautician” in Alappuzha. She was one of the very energetic and smart students in the class.

Arya had to travel almost 24 km one side to reach the training venue. She is from a very poor family and it was too difficult for her to come daily by bus. But still she tried to attend the classes regularly. Her father is a coolie and her mother is a home maker.

Arya is the only child to her parents and don’t even own a house. Living in a colony her parents are uneducated people. As her father considers girl child as a burden, he is not interested in giving education to his child. Arya once told that her father will not allow her to join college as he thinks that it is waste of money to educate girls. She really wanted to become a teacher who supports students in fulfilling their dreams. She was also very interested in technical field.  So she joined for Diploma course in computer engineering in Tirunelveli after completing her DOAP course.

Though her mother paid tuition fee initially, her mother couldn’t continue due to financial constraints. At utmost despair she returned to Kerala. One day she called the ASAP Program Manager an enquired about some job opportunities as it was very necessary for her family. Further, she attended an interview at Naturals , Kottayam and got selected.  Now she is earning 6000 per month during her training period. The best thing happened to her after placement is the change in attitude of her father. The one who considered her as a burden is now proud of her achievement. She is now trying to join Degree in Open University. 

She wrote in the feedback like this “I thought assistant beautician as a simple course ie todo make up on faces of people. But after attending the classes, I realized one thing that it’s not a small job. We will get an opportunity to make ones appearance more good. If we look good, we will naturally get confidence. So we are getting an opportunity to make others confident by making them beautiful”. 

She is a real inspiration to all the ASAPians who wants to explore themselves.

ASAP made me Self Reliant

ASAP made me Self Reliant

Hailing from the hilly terrains of Idukki, Bibin used to go regularly for part time jobs at a workshop nearby his house. He lives with his parents and three younger sisters, studying at the same school where Bibin studies. As an unemployed and a drunkard, his father creates problems every day. His mother is a heart patient. The family struggled a lot as the whole responsibility fell on the shoulders of Bibin. He joined a course of Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP) and successfully completed the course. Unfortunately, the deplorable conditions of his family was not allowing him to continue his studies. Recently Bibin got an excellent placement at Sobha Projects and Trade Pvt Ltd, Thrissur with a salary of Rs. 11000 per month. He says Joining ASAP Plumbing course and attending the placement were a blessing to me; now I save around Rs. 8000 per month for my family.

Plus Two Failed; Got Placed

Plus Two Failed; Got Placed

Hariprasad, Anjana and Aiswarya were not that bright students of the class, and their teachers were much afraid that they may hardly succeed in life. They were good students in participating eagerly in the school activities though studies were a herculean task for them. When the ASAP student selection happened the teachers recommended their names as first choice thinking ASAP can bring a change to the life of these students. Also these 3 were from a Socio-economically poor background.

Hence the students joined for the Warehousing Expert Course and they successfully completed the course. They have attended the internship and thereafter they got placement opportunities.  When the plus two results came these students had failed in the examination. It was a not a happy news though as they got placed definitely it becomes a great news.

Hariprasad got placed at Safexpress Logistics Park, Aluva. Anjana and Aiswarya has been recruited by the Vertex Company, Ernakulam.

These students now proudly says that – “They failed in Plus Two; But they are into Job”.

My ASAP Lessons

An Asapian who stepped into the classes of ASAP from a never supporting background. She had a lot of hurdles throughout her life even within her family. Never can we imagine a girl who is studying in 11^th standard will have to face so much hurdles in her life within this period..!!

She comes from Primitive Tribal community, named Paniya. She is the only student who had some concern towards her life. She was not a brilliant student at school, remembers her school Principal but had an interest towards her studies and had a passion to support her mother, who is a divorcee. Her mother is a Cancer patient, and her elder sister has sacrificed her school life in order to take care of their mother. Her mother has not been able to save anything for her children and for the family because of her condition.

Thus arose the responsibility of the 11^th standard girl and she strived really hard to reach the classes conducted by ASAP. She was completely depended on the TA given by the ASAP to its students. She had put in her full effort to succeed in her life. Success comes to the brave. YES… she conquered the heights of success. She has completed her skill course Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing, in ASAP and has attended the placement drive conducted by the ASAP. She has got a job of her choice. The officials of was very much willing to place her in their company. She is now successfully working in PTH Department Company at Indore.

Her mother said, “Let her come out with flying colours in her life.” The institution members of her school had collected some funds to support in her travel to Indore and even bought her a mobile phone.

As her mother said, infact prayed, she came out with flying colours. The sacrifice of her mother and her sister was never in vain. Never let us forget those valuable prayers and support of her family. Now she has raised to the situation that she is able to support her mother with her medicines and she sends money for the same.

A living example to the younger children belonging to her community. She was able to show them the light and path to succeed in their lives. Yes, the number of students from her community and her school, who has recently joined ASAP has increased a lot.

She remembers her teachers and thanks the members of ASAP with her life. The gift which she offered to ASAP is her career growth and the sparkling in her mother’s and her sister’s eye.

ASAP A Ray of Hope

ASAP A Ray of Hope

Just like everyone Kiran was brought up from a middle class family whose father is a daily worker, mother is a home maker. Kiran is one the first batch ASAP student who successfully completed his GBFS course and currently working as the SDE with ASAP. He is having an extreme sense of passion for his studies, and strives very much in continuing his studies. He is currently pursuing his 1^st year M.com course at Govt. College Manathavady.

Kiran is very much thankful to SDE Mr. Jijoy Joseph as he was his mentor during the course period and has influenced him in many ways. He was successful in picking the valuables precisely from each and every sessions of ASAP. Each and every day in ASAP, the classes and the activities in ASAP, everything did he enjoy by grasping the necessaries out of it. He thus recognized the need of a better position in his life, in ASAP. He had a strong passion to be like his mentor, his teacher, Mr. Jijoy. He admired him as his role model. Noted the way his mentor takes the classes, how he indulges with the students. Gradually a passion in his life aroused to be one among the ASAP members. He got job offers from three companies after the course one is at Global Service Ltd as Customer Relationship Officer and two opportunities from North India. He wasn’t interested into all these, rather he preferred joining ASAP as an SDE. He looks forward to extend the same that his mentor has taught him to his students as an SDE. He remembers to keep a good rapport with the students under GMHSS Vellamunda institution.

According to his view “ASAP has brought a lot of changes in my entire life. It has changed my behavior and gave me an overall make over. ASAP changed my view of looking in to things of life. I am more confident in what I do now. ASAP has thought lot of lessons for a good living, from mannerisms to livelihood and gave lessons of life to earn as well as it has gave me a job to earn. Presently I am an M.com student and also an SDE at ASAP, which make me very much proud of myself to be and I am more satisfied by this.

I hope all the learners take this course into serious note and take maximum advantage by learning everything offered by ASAP. Thanking ASAP for my success.”

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Is Rural Skilling a Myth?

Is Rural Skilling a Myth?

India lives in its villages. More than half of the Indians are from the rural hinterlands and depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Being a backbone, the agriculture sector must be fostered to make our country and people self-sustainable. Further, in order to reap benefits from the demographic dividend of our country and to curb the overreaching of urban migration, village communities must be nurtured with necessary skill sets to grow with their own resources.

Though there are multiple impediments our group members unanimously opined that rural skilling is not a myth. It's possible and a need of this hour. We proposed a special vehicle "Rural Skill Wheels' to embrace the dream. Wheel is the symbol of change, progress and rustic. Our cohorts vouched for this through Rural Skill Wheels

Vision of Rural Skill Wheels: Creating Sustainable Villages through skilled community

An Introduction: 

Rural India has immense potential. Numerous indigenous products of India have a prodigious value in international as well as in the domestic market. It is all about connecting industries with these products through rural populace. This will bring about a sharp breakthrough in indigenous industry and manufacturing of the nation and enable rural communities to become self-dependent with economic empowerment. Furthermore, industries can hugely source rural manpower to fill the skill deficit. 

Aajeevika Skills, an ambitious scheme of government of India is to Making Rural Poor Youth Employable. 

This National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) is an initiative launched by Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India. Also, The Aajeevika Skill Development Programme (ASDP) is a sub-mission under NRLM gives young people from poor communities an opportunity to upgrade their skills and enter the skilled work force in growing sectors of the economy. The target is to skill and place 50 lakhs youth in the formal sector by 2017. RISE India is an organization dedicated to to 'empower people' and 'enlighten lives' of socially and economically marginalized. Further, Saksham, Sabla, SGRY, Uddhan, DDU-GKY, PMKVY etc. in the government sector reiterates the need for rural skill development. Beyond any second that it can be articulated that rural skilling must be a key priority for the country. However, it requires and efficient mechanism to overcome various barriers in rural skilling.

In-order to propose a way ahead proposal in this context, the team subsumed the cahllneges to be resolved in this paradigm which are as follows-

Challenges in rural skilling

1. Lack of awareness about rural resources and skills
2. Lack of skiling infrastructure
3. Fund Shortage/lack of access to funds
4. Unavailability of an institutional mechanism
5. Lack of Technical Support
6. Lack of skilled trainers
7. Daily engagement
8. Considering the above challenges, it was proposed that
   
   Rural Skill Wheels Proposal
1. Identification and Mapping of Rural Resources (Skills, institutions, infrastructure and natural resources etc.)
2. Conduct a Skill Gap Study (In order to identify the rural skill deficit to utilize the local resources and to meet the local industry skill demands)
3. Development of Proposals/Plans (Considering the resource mapping and skill gap study, the Rural Skill Wheels Team will propose specific plans for skilling and self-employment)
4. Setting-Up of an Institutional Mechanism - The Rural Skill Wheel finds absence of a local institutional mechanism as the serious miss in the rural skilling. It proposed to set-up a LSG led institutional mechanism comprises of SHG members, women groups, community NGOs and other industry organizations to implement the scheme. This body looks after the training program, funding opportunities and skill infrastructure. 

Majorly, the institutional body solely for

a)   Innovative strategies to mobilize and sensitize local community to the skills.

b)   Avail and mobilize funds for the program

c)   Monitor Training

d)   Leadership role in identifying and setting up SDCs with the support of local industries, ITIs, ASAP, CSP etc.

e)   Ensure pro-active role of women community
Connect various stakeholders of skill development

5. Developing a professional team to market the products or to strengthen the supply chain especially through on-line mode. It is all about coordinating placement of rural trainees and marketing the rural products
6. Project Implementation
   It is equally a priority for the Rural Skill Wheels;
    

A.   It is a fact that most of the rural people are engaged in agriculture or allied activities in the day time; hence special skill training programs at evening/night is preferred. It may be helpful to overcome the shortage of trainers. Experienced people from the industry or volunteers can be availed for training.

B.   Sourcing CSR Funds for training. There are industries/organizations seriously consider placement linked training. It would be helpful for many rural people aspiring to get jobs

C.   Producers Group are a successful model to be emulated. Identifying potential business opportunities in the industry and providing raw materials

D.  Promotion of indigenous skills like handicrafts, art and culture etc. 

The Rural Skill Wheels is committed to skill the rural populace and greatly convinced to implement this model. The group envisages a situation where requirements of the village are being met at the local level and surplus resources/products skills are shared. 

Thank You,

The Rural Skill Wheels Team