Centre for Skill Development and Career Planning(CSD&CP)

 
Introduction:
The Centre for Skill Development and Career Planning is a relatively new Directorate established by the Honorable Vice Chancellor with the aim of imparting holistic all round skill sets to the students graduating from the portals of the University. A student upon completion of his graduation, when he presents himself as a prospective candidate for employment or if he wants to pursue post graduate degree must possess the requisite skill sets demanded by the profession or career furtherance. The Centre is mandated to provide such skill sets to the graduates of the University.  
 
Objectives
  • To introduce market relevant training programmes.
  • To recognize prior learning.
  • To align curriculum skill courses with conventional education and vocational education.
  • To adopt National Certification Framework for all the skill courses.
  • To strengthen employability skills.
  • To make placements by inviting neighbouring institutions.
  • To align all formal and vocational education including skill training with National Skill Qualifications Framework (NSQF)
  • To teach language, life skills, basic IT and Financial literacy which are integral part of most job roles in the economy today.
  • To ensure that all skill training programs include modules of basic computer literacy, language and soft skills etiquette, appreciating gender diversity in workplace, building positive health attitudes and social and life skills to enable the youth to be employable and market ready.
Functions
The University embraced choice based credit system from the Academic Year 2017-18 onwards. In order to give semblance to the objectives, the University has introduced skill based course within the curriculum of the Degree Programs like Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Sciences. The Centre will liaison with the Academic Branches to offer Skill and Employment based courses to the students enrolled with the University and also to the students who are interested in pursuing stand alone skill based Certificate or Diploma Courses. 
 
Achievements
Memorandum of Understanding with Swami Ramananda Tirtha Rural Institutes ( Pochampally Village)
  • The University entered into an MOU with SRTRI on 15.06.2022. As part of the MOU with SRTRI Dr. BRAOU will
  • Mobilize the candidates to enroll for outcome based and skill based training programs.
  • Create a registration Hyperlink in the Admission Form to facilitate students enrolling with the University to register for skill courses offered under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana ( DDU- GKY) in SRTRI.
  • Issue certificates jointly with SRTRI to students of BRAOU who complete their courses successfully.
  • Assist the second party to design promotional measures to motivate students to enroll for these courses.
  • BRAOU will establish a program centre at SRTRI for the benefit of students who would want to enroll for UG/PG programs at the University.

Memorandum of Understanding with National Academy of Construction (NAC)

  • The University entered into an MOU with NAC and as a part of this MOU, Dr. BRAOU will
  • Mobilize the candidates to enroll for outcome based and skill based training programs sponsored by State and Central Governments.
  • Create a registration Hyperlink in the online Admission Form (online Student Registration Form)to facilitate students enrolling with the University to register for skill courses (skill courses offered by NAC to be given in a drop down menu)offered by the National Academy of Construction across all its campuses (List of NAC Centers along with addresses to be given in a drop down menu)
  • Issue certificates jointly with NAC to students of BRAOU who complete their courses successfully.
  • Assist the second party to design promotional measures to motivate students to enroll for these courses and retention in placement.
  • BRAOU will explore the possibilities of collaborating with NAC to offer MBA in Real Estate Management and MBA in Construction Management programs at the University.
  • To infuse the spirit of gender equality and to imbibe a sense of accommodative attitude among the learners in addition to learning to respect and conserve the environment, Ability Enhancement Compulsory Courses were introduced under the list of General courses offered
  • Gender Sensitization in the First Semester and Environmental Studies in the Second Semester.
  • To inculcate the spirit of scientific temper and introduce the Technological aspects the following Generic Electives were offered
  • Science and Technology in the First Semester and Human Society and Development in the Second Semester.
  • Imparting language skills and soft skills is primary objective behind introducing Foundation courses in English language in all the semesters up to the fourth semester in the six semester UG courses of the University.
  • Not to forget the local dialect and to increase the proficiency in the vernacular language, the students were given courses in the Modern Indian Languages. Adhar Pathyakram in Hindi, Moulike amshamulu in Telugu and Bunyadi Nisab in Urdu languages.
  • In addition to the above ability enhancement compulsory course, the following subject wise skill enhancement courses were introduced in the Fourth Semester of the UG programs. The students are imparted subject specific additional skills through the study of these courses.
  • To give additional skill sets apart from their regular academic subjects students of the Under Graduate Bachelor of Arts program were offered the following courses.
  • Budgeting and Rural Economy for the students of  Economics
  • Tourist Guide and Hospitality Service and Museology and Archival Keeping for the students of History.
  • Political Reporting and Survey Research for the students of Political Science.
  • Rural Livelihood and Digital Governance for the students of Public Administration
  • Sociology of Health care and Community Development Theory and Practice for the students of Sociology.
  • Learners of the Under Graduate Bachelor of Arts in Languages were offered the following language specific skill enhancement courses.
  • Prasaara Maadhyamaalu- Anuvaada Vidhaanaalu and Anuvaadmu Vividha Prakriyalu- Maadhyamaala Rachana for the Students of Telugu.
  • Academic Writing and Communication Skills for the students of English
  • Commerce learners were offered the following course to give them an additional set of skills
  • Micro Finance and Rural Marketing.
  • Students of Computer Applications are offered the following two skill courses
  • Multimedia Applications using GIMP and Multimedia Applications using Blender.
  • The students pursuing Bachelor of Sciences at the University are being offered the following subject specific skill enhancement courses
  • Probability and Statistics and Graph Theory for the students of Mathematics
  • Basic Skills in Electricals and Mobile Phone Repairing & Maintenance for the students of Physics.
  • Instrumentation Skills and Cosmetics in Chemistry for the students of Chemistry.
  • Remote Sensing, GIS and GPS and Geochemistry for the students of Geology.
  • Bio-fertilizer Technology and Floriculture for the students of Botany.
  • Apiculture and Vermiculture for the students of Zoology.
  • The following skill enhancement courses are offered as electives to the students other than the compulsory core skill courses.
  • Information Technology aur Urdu and Anchoring for Urdu Students
  • Sambhashan Kala and Karyalayee for the students of Hindi
  • Stress Management and Entrepreneurship Psychology for the students of Psychology
  • Photo Journalism and Media and Society for the students of Journalism
  • Statistical Data Analysis using MS Excel and Statistical Techniques for Research for the students of Statistics.
Infrastructure
The Centre is housed in the Academic Buildings of Dr. BRAOU and has a chamber for the Director and office rooms.
 
Staff Working
The Centre is headed by the Director incharge, Dr. D. Rabindranath Solomon, Associate Professor  and Head, Department of Commerce and the office staff includes Mr. David Raj who is a Record Assistant.
 
Contact Information:
Dr. D. Rabindranath Solomon,
Director, in-charge
Centre for Skill Development and Career Planning (CSD&CP)
Academic Building,
Dr. B.R.Ambedkar Open University
Prof. G. Ram Reddy Marg, Road No 46,
Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. 500033
Phone No: 04023540749
 
Branch Establishment Documents: EC/FC Resolutions
The Executive Council of Dr. B.R.Ambedkar Open University at its 174th Meeting vide item No.07, dated 13-07-2018 while ratifying the action taken by the Vice Chancellor in establishing the new Directorate for Skill Development and Career Planning ( CSD & CP) directed the University to prepare an action plan about the skill based courses to be introduced.
 
Matter for Ratification
To ratify the action taken by the Vice-Chancellor in establishment of Centre for Skill Development and Career Planning (CSD&CP) and permission may please be granted to take up short term skill programs at Certificate/Diploma Levels.

Item No: 7:  Admn- Ratification for Establishment of Centre for Skill Development and Career planning (CSD&CP) and to consider to start Short Term Programs- Reg.

Resolution:  Resolved to ratify the action taken by the Vice-Chancellor for establishment of Centre for Skill Development and Career Planning (CSD&CP) and directed to prepare a detailed action plan about the Skill based Courses to be introduced and place it before the next Executive Council meeting for consideration covering aspects like approval of UGC, if required; staff required, whether it will be self-financed etc. 

Conclusion: The tends in the recent times in the employment market requires the students to have not only the basic academic skills but also adjunct skills to be present in them. As an institution of higher learning and as an institution that predominantly caters to the economically and socially disadvantaged sections of the society, the University is playing a pivotal role in augmenting and monitoring the skill sets of the learners. Even though presently the skill courses are being offered by and through the Faculties of the University, the Centre for Skill Development will seek the necessary approvals to liaison with external agencies in offering job oriented courses that increase the employability of its learners. .

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