After being selected as one of the Skill Hubs by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship of the Union Government, the Central University of Karnataka has decided to offer two single-semester programmes — Digital IT Desk Assistant and Heritage Tour Guide.
Addressing a media conference here on Wednesday, Vice-Chancellor of the university Battu Satyanarayana said that the initiative is the central component of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 3.0 being implemented by the National Skill Development Corporation.
“Employability is a big problem these days. On the one hand, the country is facing a huge unemployment problem and, on the other, industries are unable to get manpower having specific skills they require. It is because of the fact that the large number of graduates coming out of the universities every year with certificates are not equipped with the required skills. To address the issue, the Union Government has selected a few Skill Hubs — nodal skill centres — to provide skill development and competency-based vocational training for drop-outs and out-of-school youths across the country and the university is one among them,” Mr. Satyanarayana said.
As per details provided, the Heritage Tour Guide programme is designed in such a way that it enables learners to harness skills required for guiding tourists visiting heritage sites. The Digital IT Helpdesk Assistant programme will impart necessary skills to learners to enable them to efficiently handle day-to-day business communications between clients and companies using computers.
Both the programmes, Prof. Satyanarayana added, will comprise both theory and practical components with a special focus on the latter.
“Out of total learning hours, which range from 330 hours to 400 hours, around one-third of the hours will be devoted to practical training. Classes will be held on Saturdays and Sundays initially. If required, classes will be held on weekdays as well. The progress made by learners will be regularly monitored by an expert committee and the learners will be evaluated after the completion of the programme. Then, they will be awarded with certificates to be issued by the National Sill Development Corporation,” Prof. Satyanarayana said.
Asked whether the university has any plan to ensure placement for learners after they complete these courses, Prof. Satyanarayana said that the university will put a necessary mechanism in place to ensure maximum placements.
“We will constitute a special team that will be in constant touch with the targeted industries and interact with them on a regular basis to know their needs so that they can be incorporated in the training course. We have a huge campus and ready-to-use infrastructure, including laboratories, that have hitherto been underutilised and can now be optimally utilised for the purpose. We will also hold campus interviews after learners complete courses to maximise placements. I am hopeful that most of the students will get placements,” he said.
University Registrar Basavaraj Donur, Nodal Officer for Skill Development Programmes Shivam Mishra and Public Relation Officer Deepthi were present.
