A model for training soon-to-be-job-seekers

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: M P Girish Kumar did his post-graduation from the University College some three decades back. On a sunny Saturday this March, when usually the campus is left on its own, he was back on the campus - this time going through the thoughts, words and minds of around 30 students of the College who were seated at the lecture hall, wanting to know where to steer their life.  Girish Kumar is one of the five directors of Anvil Educational Research and Career Consultancy, a private group which has come up with a model for evaluation and training of students who are soon-to-be-job-seekers. A couple of retired Army officers and management professionals make the Anvil group complete. Together, they have developed the model ‘ANV-6’, a set of training modules to be undertaken by candidates to achieve the required standards needed for a good job.  Apart from Girish, the director board has Lt Col (retd) K S N Sukumaran, who was part of the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India (ICFAI) for years; Anil Pillai, an alumnus of IIM Calcutta and a senior management professional; Col (retd) Mohammed Sajjad, who had done the induction of Indian Brigade group for UN in Somalia and Col (retd) S K Suresh, who has been moulding the young for years. ‘’We have put our experience, our knowledge and our exposure to the international educational standards to come up with ANV-6. A student who passes through the module, which includes personality assessment workshop, group planning, group discussion, interviews and lectures, would very much realise what they lack and what they possess,’’ said Sukumaran. Among those who turned up for a pilot of the model at the University College done in association with the soft skill development wing of the college headed by Council secretary Beenukumar Panicker, there were more girls than boys.  ‘’I wanted to know how they could help me select my career. We could use whatever language we were comfortable in, which was a blessing,’’ said Sneha, an M Phil student who turned up for the programme. Students were divided into two groups. While one group attended the personality development workshop, the other group was put into group planning and other exercises.  ‘’It’s a full-day programme and after the students go through the modules, we get back to them in three days with a pen picture of them. Which would describe where they stand, what they lack, what would fetch them success, what skills they should polish and what could best be their career options and so on. If they want, they could join our training programme, which would start in September and end in December. If they continue to be with us, we refer them to our placement cell, which helps them with placements too. Though the programme is commercial, it has a social dimension and is inclusive,’’ said Girish Kumar.  According to Beenukumar, the college had opted for the training programme as students were found lacking the confidence to take on the job market. ‘’Skill development should be part of the college days, then change would come,’’ he said.  The group has wings at Hyderabad and Coimbatore and hopes to reach out to more colleges in Kerala in the coming days.