A survey of school students in Classes 10th, 11th and 12th revealed that there is a lack of awareness about higher education, vocational and professional training and job opportunities in the focus area of Kathua and Udhampur districts. This confirmed the assessment of the need of a matching institution/ mechanism to guide students and help them make informed choices. The Study team had interacted with more than 2000 students in 10 schools and 2 colleges in 2 districts of Jammu province.
The Project report recommended bridging the information gap through means such as career awareness campaigns and a helpline. It envisaged the use of an information system which is updated with latest information about courses, institutes and jobs relevant to the local students.
Keeping above in view, it was felt that a Career Counseling campaign for Higher & Vocational Education Awareness will be able to bridge this information gap. Thus with support from Shamdasani Foundation, SaiStar Society launched, a Career Awareness Project (SS CAP).
The Project
- To design Educational & Career Awareness Campaign for students studying in Rural Schools.
- Further the scope includes the introduction of the youth to national level institutions for learning and skill development and helping them in application and examination related queries, and in Career Counseling
The campaign will endeavor to create awareness about role and importance of higher education and vocational and professional training. It also encompasses the information about various opportunities of education and employment and the advantages and prerequisites of each of them. Further, the campaign will aim to motivate and encourage the youth to choose fields of education according to their interests and needs of the industry.
The awareness campaign is likely to have following advantages that come with this form of communication
- Low awareness and motivation level necessitates outbound communication
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Higher effectiveness of direct means of communication as compared to indirect means makes the campaign suitable for disseminating information among youth.
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Interactive discussion results in better information exchange
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Low reach and usage of internet or broadcasting services is a barrier to indirect communication channels
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Feedback and data collection is easier for further analysis and action through a campaign.
The Project described will endeavor to bridge gap through Career Counseling for Higher and Vocational Training in Rural area of Jammu Province of J&K State, which is subsumed as educationally backward in reference to established indices namely literacy rate, teacher pupil ratio, dropout rate. It is envisaged that a suitably modified Vehicle equipped with audio visual system where information can be imparted to the students by way of Power Point Presentation and personal Interaction by a Counselor/Mentor.
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Fine Arts and Crafts course was conducted by the Society from Jan to Mar 2019, in which rural Girls were trained in Fine Arts, Stitching and Tailoring.
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Since the year 2009, this Society is providing Internship Training to Post Graduate (MBA) Students of SP Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai, which is one of the TOP TEN Management Training Institute in India. This year based on a request from Chairperson, Department of Corporate Citizenship of SPJIMR four students were provided guidance and following project studies were carried out and implemented from 14 Mar to 12 Apr 2019:-
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Mr Utkrish Saxena, B Tech Graduate from Institute of Technology Trichy & Miss Saumya Agarwal, B Tech (Electronics &Communications) from VIT Vellore undertook the Project--Designing & Execution of Career Awareness Programme (CAP) to empower youth in rural area.
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Miss Eshita Vyas, (B.E. Hons.) Civil & Msc. Bio from BITS Pilani Rajasthan & Mr Sumit Agrawal, B.E. (Electronics) from Sardar Patel Institute of Technology Mumbai worked on the project-- Designing & Execution of Educational Awareness Programme to rural Students.
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Above mentioned team of Engineers also worked to design software for Automation of the Society Office, which will facilitate the Helpline work by creating a database.
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With a view to reach larger section of marginalized society, a publicity Leaflet was also designed by the above team of Software Engineers.
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High School Babey which is located in remote area and was Up-graded with efforts of the Society has been adopted. Students of this School are being provided assistance/ counseling.
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Society is providing free Breakfast to Children in seven Govt Schools under Satya Sai Annapoorna Programme