ASAP
Up-Skilling New Generation for the 21st Century
ASAP or the Additional Skills Acquisition Programme is the
new initiative of the Government of Kerala to enhance the quality and
employability of the new generation of the state by helping them acquire
necessary skills As Soon As Possible. Envisioned to be a state of the art
student skill development programme, ASAP is a collaborative venture by
the Higher Education, General Education and
Local Self Government Departments of Kerala State Government and
the brain child of Dr. K. M. Abraham, Principal
Secretary of the Higher Education Department. As the thrust of the programme
is employability, it strives to turn Kerala into a major human resource
hub by imparting industry specific skills. It has adopted the trickle down
method, by training the trainers who would in turn, train their juniors.
As a first step, the Skill Development Executives (SDEs) are trained to
bring their skills out of mothballs, trim, refine, hone and polish them in
order to equip themselves as responsible trainers, and they in turn train the
students during a 21 day residential programme, using instructional strategies
like fun learning and experiential learning which are highly participative and
activity oriented. The students are required to take the APTIS test at
the end of the programme. The programme offers a grooming ground for students
to feather their nests and earn their wings. Following are the earmarks of the
ASAP programme:
· Skill
enhancement
· Communication
Skills
· Personality
Development
· Training
in IT
· Industry
and Government Certification
· Employment
opportunities
· Industry
linkages
ASAP @ St. Joseph's
College for Women, Alappuzha is geared to be a special learning
experience to the participants.
I hope this programme can fill the vacuum which cannot be dealt within the already structured, normative educational system we have. I have felt that many of us have real knowledge but do not know how to use it in the job market. With these foci on IT and communication skills, I hope this programme will help students to fetch a job of their choice.
ReplyDeleteThenk you Veena. We are venturing into something new. We are also excited. All are bracing themselves for the big event. If you can drop in one of these days, we would be glad to see you.
DeleteASAP is an interesting initiative taken by the Government as well as the higher education department....it provide each trainee to break the cocoon of their limited circumference...which help to explore widely their soft skills that is essential for the "urbanized culture"...So ASAP become a Great Victory as well as Milestone in the history of General and Higher Education Department...Best Wishes for all the Students, they are the part of this program...
ReplyDeleteThank you dear Anila Reghunathan. Glad for your support. We too have high hopes about ASAP. Hope they bear fruit.
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