EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Additional Skill Acquisition Programme( ASAP), a novel approach in Skill-based education in Kerala, aims at equipping students of Higher Secondary and Undergraduate levels who are in search of an immediate employment with industry-specific job skills. By addressing the vital areas of communication in the modern world through innovative learner-centric training methods, the programme has already created a significant impact on the State’ s General and Higher Education streams. One of the salient aspects of this programme is the involvement of industry professionals in all stages of skill training right from curriculum development up to student placement.
Three years of successful implementation of skill courses in the Higher Secondary Schools and Undergraduate Colleges have given the programme a brand visibility in terms of quality skill training in industry sectors. The year 2014-15 has been a year of significant growth for the programme. ASAP now offers 76 skill courses covering 22 industry sectors to 25528 students spread out in 949 educational institutions across the State. Also, the number of ASAP institutions in the State have increased from 102 to 949, the number of Skill Courses from 12 to 76 and the number of Skill Development Centers( SDCs) from19 to105 in the year 2012- 13 to 2014-15. The SDCs of ASAP have well equipped computer laboratories with KSWAN( Kerala State Wide Area Network) connectivity and also facilities for skill training in different sectors.
Growth of the programme has also resulted in the enhancement of the size of the programme management unit to support the greater number of trainings and new formats of training including the Summer Skill Skool for crash training programmes for students outside ASAP during vacations. At present there are 2200 Skill Development Executives to handle the foundation module of the ASAP Curriculum( covering communication skills in English and IT) and 200 Programme Managers for the field level implementation.
ASAP has already entered a crucial phase in its fourth year of existence with the major initiatives it has taken in setting up Community Skill Parks( CSPs), the 24 x 7 futuristic skill training centres with advanced facilities that will connect with the neighboring educational institutions and training centres in a hub and spoke model. Towards realizing the larger goal of establishing one Community Skill Park in every legislative constituency of the State, the programme has already begun the establishment of this in 15 lo- cations. When fully functional, the CSPs will take the programme to a different plane and offer maximum benefits to a larger population. ASAP Community Skill Parks will be of international standards with active linkages with organizations within and outside the country. The programme is in touch with five countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and Australia for meaningful linkages in the area of skill training. The meeting with the Australian Minister for Education and Training, Ms Joy Burch by the Honourable Minister for Education, Kerala and the ASAP team in Thiruvananthapuram was to further skill based international engagements between the Community Skill Parks and international training institutions.
Year 2014-15 was significant in terms of the important events that were conducted by the programme. The impressive first convocation ceremony organized during November 2015 at Thiruvananthapuram for the successful students of the 2013 batch and the National level Skill conclave( SEEK `15- Skill Enterprise Engagement of Empowering Kerala) organized during December 2015 with more than 500 delegates for developing a road map in skill development were only the few milestone events of the programme during the year. SEEK `15 witnessed active engagement of stakeholders and experts in all sectors deliberating on topics of current relevance.
The report presented here showcases the ASAP activities during the year 2014-15. The document would give a glimpse of the operation of the programme accepting and adopting the changes happening in the skill landscape of the country. Every mile covered reminds us of the journey already undertaken as well as the untraveled road that lies ahead. The fourth year of the programme, would no doubt, consolidate upon the gains of the previous years and also explore new avenues of growth
PAGE 1 ANNUAL REPORT