The Future Right Skills Network (FRSN) comprising of Accenture, Cisco, J.P. Morgan and QUEST Alliance entered into a partnership with the Directorate General of Training (DGT), under the aegis of the Ministry of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), to impart critical 21st century skills to students in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). During the pandemic, 34 virtual ToTs were conducted to help Employability Skills(ES) trainers combat the challenges they faced. Over 2800 trainers from 537 ITIs across 17 states were reached through these sessions. In addition, focused support was provided to women students in National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) across 17 states, with over 5700 women students and 227 ES trainers benefitting from this intervention.
In collaboration with J.P. Morgan, Mobile Phone Libraries were launched to ensure women trainees in Government ITIs and NSTIs were able to access digital devices during the pandemic. Smartphones enabled with high-speed internet were issued to women students for a period of 21 days. The mobile phone libraries enabled access to mentorship and provided critical information on where to start and how to make the best use of the phone. Women students also had access to 21st-century skills curriculum which was offered to them via virtual sessions, the Quest App and other online learning resources. Over the course of a year, libraries were set up across 21 Government ITIs and NSTIs in Delhi, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
Mobile Phone Libraries have helped address the issue of access to smartphones amongst women students in Industrial Training Institutes during the pandemic.
In a first of its kind virtual event, Quest Alliance supported by Cisco CSR and the Department of Employment and Training, Tamil Nadu (TN), awarded the MyQuest 21st Century Educator Awards to 10 government Industrial Training Institute (ITI) Employability Skills (ES) trainers for their efforts in bringing innovation and technology to classrooms. Each of the 10 awardees employed unique and innovative methods to engage their students with the curriculum, like building a website, and the use of social media channels like Youtube to share videos related to ES concepts.
The partnership between Quest Alliance, Cisco, and DET TN is a testament to the power of civil society-industry and government partnerships in transforming the ITI ecosystem.
10 trainers win the MyQuest 21st Century Educator Awards
The MyQuest’s Virtual Learning Pilot was initiated to equip educators with tools and skills to quickly transition to an entirely digital medium of teaching. The pilot was rolled out across Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the North-East region.
Over 90 trainers from the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme – India (AKRSP(I)), Assist, Careship, Cedra, Centre For Development And Empowerment Of Women (CDEW), Human Development and Research Centre (HDRC), Janvikas, Navjeevan, Salesian Sisters, Sama Foundation, Sparsha, and St. Thomas Trust were part of this pilot. Since the pilot, trainers across 51 centres have been able to effectively conduct classes and have also managed to secure placements for their students during this difficult time.
Trainers had to embrace technology and adapt to online learning during the pandemic to ensure that their students continue to learn.
A trainer in Gujarat conducts an online session to help students continue learning during the pandemic.
“A trainer can play an important role in imparting Employability Skills to trainees and thereby support them to become industry-ready. This partnership has helped us transform the mindset of both trainers and trainees and supported them to contribute to nation-building”
K. Veera Raghava Rao, IAS, Director, DET, Tamil Nadu
(Oct 2019)