Objectives of the Practice

• To make higher education relevant to the learner and the community
• To provide skill based, certifiable and employable TRAINING
• To integrate relevant skills into the higher education system
• To inculcate entrepreneurship
• To strengthen employable skill of the student.

The Context

Education plays an important role in the all-round development of human being as well as the nation. It is a unique investment in the present as well as future. India, at present, is recognised as one of the youngest nations in the world with over 50% of the population under the age of 30 years. It is estimated that by about 2025, India will have 25% of the World’s workforce. This necessitates skill up gradation of our youth along with education. Responding to the clarion call of our Honourable Prime minister St. Theresa’s has launched “Theresian Kaushal Kendra” to improve the skills and in turn the employability of our students.

The Practice

‘Theresian Kaushal Kendra’ is started with an aim to inculcate entrepreneurship skills in the students with particular focus on those who for various reasons will not pursue higher education and would want to be involved in profitable employments. The students are grouped according to their area of interest and given specific skill training both theoretic and practical fields. Business skills, accounting and financial management, entrepreneurial skills, and other aspects form the components of the training. In their leisure hours the students take up production work for income generation and hands on learning experience. The products are certified by the quality control section of the Theresian Kaushal Kendra before they are released for marketing. The products are marketed on various occasions in the campus such as “ College Bazaar”.

Obstacles faced if any and strategies adopted to overcome

The major obstacle faced in the implementation of the programme is availability of time without much disturbance to the regular academic work. The students were divided into groups so that most of them get chance to learn the skills and to produce the selected product.

Impact of the practice

This practice created a very good impact on students who came forward willingly to learn various skills. This improved their income generating and marketing skills. It’s a way of instilling self employment skills along with regular education. It gives confidence to the students about their livelihood in future.