Business Name: Sasidharan Pillai Foundation Welfare Trust
Name: Prakash Sasidharan
Location: Kolkata, India
Establishment (Year): 1998
Category / Industry: Education and E-Learning
Sub Category / Sub Industry: Skill Development
Number of employees: 11-50 employees
Website URL: www.sptrust.org
Company Detail:
SASIDHARAN PILLAI FOUNDATION WELFARE TRUST (12A and 80G certified), named after a professor who dedicated his life to teaching in the backward region of India with limited access to knowledge established itself as a premier Vocational Skill development & livelihood Training Destination, which focuses on providing various job ready employment linked skills training for the economically & socially challenged youths of India. They aim to serve as a bridge between education and industry by providing skills that are sought after by the industry by delivering quality training across India at a time convenient to the students. This helps the students get better placement and the industry to get better trained employees, productive from the very first day. Our Services:- Placement Linked Skill training. ❖Imparting employability Skills. ❖Applying Value chain concepts for developing new livelihood initiative. ❖Scanning the market to develop livelihood strategies. ❖Understanding the market and taking feedback from the employers regarding the skills required. ❖Providing training in demand-driven courses. ❖ Career guidance at the school level would build the the capacity of the future youth.
The solutions to Customer problems:
Problem:
As the pandemic has also created an opportunity for CSR and private foundations, for industry (through apprenticeship programs), and for employers to play a bigger role in creating a skilled workforce for the country, Sasidharan Pillai Foundation Welfare Trust has decided to work more on Skilling programs supported by CSR fund of different organizations. They were able to quickly transition to and manage all key processes of their ‘core employability skills’ training program online. They changed their outreach strategy while on-boarding students for virtual classes by clearly explaining to them how a virtual class will be delivered, through videos. They also encouraged students and their parents to arrange for smartphones at least on a temporary basis. Investing in a ToT course was very helpful. They trained their trainers to deliver virtual training effectively; they developed short videos on core modules in vernacular languages; they delivered training virtually through Zoom in the first half of the day, and utilized the second half to keep students engaged through WhatsApp. They also used their learning management system to administer assessments and share videos of core modules that students used for self-learning. Additionally, they held online meetings with parents and conducted extra sessions every Friday, which also contributed to achieving good learning outcomes.
Solution:
In a recent study they conducted with the participants who were attending their virtually-delivered training, they found that 40 percent were comfortable attending the program online (despite being given the option of in-person training). This insight helped us design a digital delivery model, which has now been tested at scale with more than 2000 participants. They have been able to do this without deprioritizing their classroom-led model, which is still very relevant for a sizeable portion of the youth they work with.
Unique Value Proposition:
Most skill development programs in the country follow a classroom-led delivery model.
Because of this, many faced huge infrastructure and human resource-related challenges while moving their operating models online overnight. On the one hand, participants from low-income families didn’t have access to digital infrastructure. On the other, trainers were not equipped enough to deliver virtual training, particularly while doing so from home.
At SPFWTrust their skilling programs are primarily designed for unemployed youth from low-income families, with schooling until the 10th or 12th grade. They have found that prior to the national lockdown being announced last year, 25-30 percent of our students did not own smartphones. The pandemic has widened the digital divide between these students, and those who have access to resources. Reaching them through any kind of online program was difficult.
Target Market:
Their customers for skill development training to school dropouts
college dropouts and unemployed youth through short-term courses.
Company’s Internal Objectives related to innovation, customer service, and operational excellence:
Investing in Great customer service
A customer’s review:
Best value for the cost
Best Service
The main point of attraction:
Positive Work Environment
Work-Life Balance
Offer Training and Development
Growth Career Opportunities
Community / Society Service:
By their unique way of creating sustainable livelihood for the underprivileged youths through skill training.
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