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| Hyderabad school leavers are bright and able – just not ready for work
by Heidi Agbenyo
‘School leavers are bright and able – just not ready for work’. Employers’ needs are not being met by school- and college-based education and training’. Sound familiar? These were the views of local employers and teachers drawn from across 14 schools in Hyderabad, India. In July 2008, the City & Guilds Centre for Skills Development facilitated a series of focus groups in partnership with CfBT Education Services India. The focus groups sought to explore the perceptions of why employers are dissatisfied with the level of skills demonstrated by school leavers joining their companies, and get an understanding of the role careers and learning guidance can play in making young people better informed about the world of work and the options available to them.
We also took the opportunity to meet and discuss the issue of careers planning with approximately 40 students aged between 9-13 years from a range of schools in Hyderabad managed by CfBT Education Services India. What came through clearly in our conversations was the fact that young people felt they did not receive enough information about future careers and learning options. Information is poor, often gleaned from local newspapers. They would like to develop a better understanding of the type of skills employers need. Many had unrealistic expectations regarding their transition from school to further education or employment, with a large number expressing an interest in becoming doctors, engineers or working within the civil service. Very few expressed an interest in vocational careers options. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was also apparent that parents were hugely influential with regard to young people’s selection of career choice.
Both focus groups confirmed that students need better careers guidance counselling, and both practitioners and employers are keen to work with CSD and CfBT. Based on these findings, CSD is working with two India-based organisations – CfBT Education Services India and The Promise Foundation (a local NGO that has expertise in designing and delivering careers guidance counselling training to teachers) to deliver a skills development project that will improve the links between schools and employers in the region, as well as improving the provision of careers guidance counselling within schools for young people by equipping teachers across 10 schools with effective careers guidance counselling skills and support materials.
The project will result in:
•approximately 20 teachers trained as career counsellors across 10 schools in Hyderabad
•a map of employers’ skills requirements within the Hyderabad region
•a map of learning opportunities within the Hyderabad region and further afield
•a Careers fair that will bring together young people, local employers and, importantly, parents
•employability skills workshops that will enable young people to understand and explore the range of skills that employers need.
Dr Prasad, CfBT Education Services India said: “We are delighted to be working with CSD and The Promise Foundation. This project promises to tackle a critical issue for India by increasing young people’s awareness of skills required by employers and increasing their understanding of options open to them on leaving school.”
And CSD hopes that the project will have a far wider impact. It is hoped that this model and any lessons learnt will enable the project to be replicated across other schools in Hyderabad in the future.
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