News and Events: ASTP launches unique Common Delivery Platform for Skill Providers in India

Association of Skill Training Providers (ASTP) announced the launch of first-of-its-kind ASTP Common Delivery Platform(CDP) for its member skill providers in India. This is a significant initiative for the skills sector that will enable ASTP members to use approximately 7000 ASTP member delivery centres across India to deliver unique courses developed by them.

Common Delivery Platform (CDP) will allow ASTP members to leverage the extensive ASTP network and infrastructure to drive scale significantly. Rather than restricting their individual reach ,they can make their flagship training programs available to millions of Indian youth seeking employment-driven skills across India. ASTP currently has 45 members with over 7000 training centres and has already trained more than 5 million youth in over 30 sectors.

Navanit Samaiyar, CEO ASTP, said,“With our vision to make aspirational and globally relevant skill-focused training available to youth in India, we have designed the unique Common Delivery Platform. While on one hand this platform will amplify the reach and the program offerings of our partners many-fold, on the other hand more importantly, new-age skills training will be made accessible to millions of youth across India through our member centres.We welcome other Skill Training providers to join ASTP and participate in this initiative.”

Under the Common Delivery Platform, the course provider will be responsible for the content and the course curriculum. They will also train the trainers and provide technology support and manage performance. The delivery provider will be responsible for proper delivery of the program as per the course providers’ guidelines and placement of successful candidates. On completion of the programs the candidates will be presented with certificates jointly from ASTP and the content provider.

ASTP has already identified few programs that will be made available under the Common Delivery Platform. These programs will be in the areas of advanced accounting and emerging technologies like AI and ML apart from few programs which will enable entrepreneurship.

ASTP Board Meeting and All Member’s Meet

ASTP conducted Governing Board Members’ Meet on 19th November 2018. This was followed by All Members’ Meet the next day. There were 20 participants in the meeting.

The agenda for the Board Meeting included points pertaining to the execution methodology of the joint delivery mechanism and selecting  members of the steering committee along with an agreement on a code of conduct and penalties on breach. The All Members’ Meet focused on explaining the joint delivery mechanism and how the members can partake in the same. Another item on the agenda was aimed at identifying the courses to be delivered.

Highlights of the meeting

• Navanit Samaiyar, CEO, ASTP welcomed the participants and updated them on the execution and delivery of Student Paid Training Model.
• Rajiv Sharma, President, ASTP shared his observations on how to make all Training Partners sustainable.
• Discussions on execution methodology of the joint delivery mechanism and micro modalities like ToT, Marketing, Co-Branding, Counselling, Employment, Driving Centre Manager ownership, Reporting and Review Mechanisms etc.
• ASTP proposed a model where the members can offer their unique courses that have a strong demand both from students and employers for delivery through multiple member centres. The course would be offered through 7000 centres and 300+ PMKKs and the power of this reach can have a multiplier effect on course offering partner, students and employers.
• These discussions were followed by a presentation by ICA on its franchisee proposal on IT courses by offering 50% discount on fees for ASTP members.
• The open house session followed by lunch.

AISECT Kaushal Vikas Championship 2018

The AISECT Kaushal Championship was announced on 15th July 2018 on the occasion of the World Youth Skills Day. This championship is an initiative of India’s leading skill development provider AISECT, to spread awareness about skill development and recognize the skilled individuals at the district, block and panchayat level areas of the targeted states. It has witnessed participation of over 7,000 students and practitioners for 5 different job roles in the age group of 18 to 35, across 8 states, namely Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Jharkhand. The 5 job roles are Domestic Data Entry Operator, Assistant Electrician, Manual Metal Arc Welding (MMAW) / Welding Assistant, Sewing Machine Operator/ Self Employed Tailor and Field Technician (Computing & Peripherals). All candidates were judged on the basis of skill efficiency, accuracy and knowledge of their respective job role.

This championship was held in 3 increasingly difficult stages of each job role, starting with the Centre/Regional level wherein the participants appeared for the test at their nearest AISECT Centre. The top 3 performers at this level qualified for the state-level championship. Further, the top 3 performers of the state-level qualified for the national-level championship. Winners of the National-Level Championship were titled as ‘AISECT Skills Hero’ and were also awarded Certificate of Appreciation and prizes like Laptops, Bluetooth speakers, power banks and phones.

The pilot phase of AISECT’s Kaushal Vikas Championship 2018 was just an experiment which turned out to be a successful event. AISECT is now planning to take this initiative further in coming years with inclusion of new trades and participation of more states across the country.

Skillpro

Skillpro, Vijayawada Centre had conducted an Anatomy Exhibition on 23rd August 2018 to improve the knowledge and understanding of the ongoing General Duty Assistant (GDA) students. As part of the exhibition,the students have prepared human organ and DNA models with low cost materials and explained to the visitors about the functioning of the various organs. More than 300 high school students and 140 college students from nearby schools and colleges visited the exhibition.

Mr.Pranay Krishna, District Manager of APSSDC has visited the exhibition and appreciated Skillpro’s efforts towards providing a good platform for General Duty Assistant (GDA) students to improve their skills & knowledge. Smt. Sunitha Sanghi,  Director General, NSDA & Shri.Sambasiva Rao, MD & CEO, APSSDC  have  also visited  Skillpro Center. Smt. Sanghi interacted with the GDA students about the teaching process and felt happy to see candidates’ participation and attendance levels. She went  through the usage of iShiksha Platform and TLM prepared by  Skillpro and appreciated Skillpro’s efforts in providing a digital platform for the unemployed youth.Ms. Kritika Batra (Dy. CEO, APSSDC) after visiting the exhibition,went through the concept and the advantages of iShiksha platform and interacted with the candidates.She told that it is a good platform that provides 3-way teaching pedagogy ( SEE, HEAR and PRACTICE ) in local language.Also,16 girl candidates of BPO Batch of Skillpro Rawatbhata ELSTP Center, Rajasthan had participated in the placement drive at M/s. Vertex Customer Management India Pvt. Ltd., Jaipur where 11 of the candidates got placed.

Brainware

Brainware, a Trainer Agency in Kolkata is influencing the lives of people through their novel projects that are aimed at providing various livelihood trainings.The company provides training in Computer Application, Computerised  Accounting, DTP, Retail  Sales, Unarmed Security Guard, Healthcare, Tailoring and Beautician trade.Recently the company has introduced two socially relevant projects -KIRAN and MUKTIDHARA to enable the underprivileged people.KIRAN (The ray of light) launched by the Kolkata police imparts basic computer training to the lesser privileged children,especially for adolescent boys and girls who belong to the minority category.The underprivileged youth who have completed the secondary school education can avail the basic computer training course free of cost from any of the KIRAN centres.Till today, more than 2500 boys and girls have completed their courses in KIRAN computer centres.

Brainware’s ‘Muktidhara’ project which was launched in the Purulia district on 7th March,2013,under the administrative control and patronage of the Self Help Group and Self Employment department of the government of West Bengal is aimed at creating and maintaining sustainable livelihood for the SHG members on their selected livelihood activities.The project is being implemented in association with NABARD (National Bank for  Agricultural and Rural Development).

Brainware provides adequate training for these in Kolkata, Hooghly, North 24 Pgs., South 24  Pgs., Nadia, Birbhum, Burdwan and Purba Medinipur.

Wazir Skills

On the occasion of World Skills Day Celebration on July 15,2018,Wazir Skill Development Center,Baramati has organized a rally in the Baramati Hi-Tech Textile Park, Baramati, Maharashtra.The rally was organized to create awareness about the Skill Mission of Govt of India.As part of the rally,Shri MGVK Bhanu (then ACS to Govt. of Assam, P&RD) addressed a group of 90 candidates who will be employed in Tamil Nadu.Ms. Nandita Hazarika,Mission Director, ASRLM and Ms. Tenzing,MoRD SPOC for North East Region were present during the function.

Also,some of the prominent delegates from Russia have visited the centre in Baramati to understand the skilling practices in India.The dignitaries from India who have visited and interacted with the candidates at Wazir Skills Mega Skill Center,Ranchi,Jharkhand include Mr. Rajesh Agarwal,Honorable Joint Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, ; Mr. Jaikant Singh,Head- Partnership Development and State Alliance, NSDC, ; Mr. Ravi Ranjan,Mission Director, JSDM, ;  Mr. Amarnath Jha,CEO, JSDM .

Additionally,Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) has organized the Employers’ CXO meet  to tap the employment opportunities in the Apparel Sector across India.The dignitaries who were present during this meet were also taken to Wazir Skills Development Center, Ranchi to showcase the quality of infrastructure and training.