Skillforce

SkillForce Explained

The Challenge

"Unemployability" due to Academics & Industry Disconnect"

SkillForce, as the coined word explains itself, was initiated as a next gen startup venture in the year 2020 with a clear aim to create a large workforce of skilled professionals. India is a superpower when it comes to talented engineering resources in general and Tech/Software industry in particular. Scores of international companies have created their offshore centres in India and many Indian tech/software companies work on outsourced contracts for their International clients. Then, there are scores of start-ups in the country to provide meaningful employment to skilled resources. Hence, the demand – supply situations are equally matched, but only in theory. When it comes to practice, the so called engineering talent that comes from many engineering colleges / universities across the country are not “Industry Ready”, that means they are not “employable”. 

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The Response - Enablement through focussed hands-on practical learning through True internship and Job creation for the degree holders.

Presenting SkillForce, a social engineered startup for creating a talent workforce using the “FACTree” model (Facilitated & Accelerated Competent Talent Tree) akin to a production driven “Factory”, with an aim to create software professionals through a shopfloor experience approach. A comprehensive hands-on model, where the ‘learning is by doing’, less theory (minimal needed) and more practical (Maximum practice) with the work being actual software development (no mock / simulation). This is a much needed model for the IT/Software industry, similar to other engineering streams that runs on a production driven mode. To understand better, let us delve a bit into the background.

 

Most fresh engineers, mainly from tier 2/3/4 locations in the country aspire for a good career in the burgeoning IT/software industry when they choose to pursue an engineering degree. After 4 years of hardwork, poring through various books and learning the concepts theoretically, they apprear for the final examinations to obtain the coveted degree. The engineering institutions arrange for campus recruitment where hordes of companies arrive to identify and select the best of the lot that are presented to them. At times, many of the engineering graduates get ‘provisional offer’ letters (even prior to writing their final semester exams), a type of ‘lock-in’ established by the industry and HR process. All is good when the ‘provisional offer’ becomes a ‘confirmed offer’ and the graduated engineers finally join their employers. As part of the employment process, many companies (especially large ones) conduct induction training to advanced learning of certain skills before the engineers are deployed into actual work areas and production environment. These are generally termed as “billable” assignments or projects.

 

The reality (fact) has to be faced. That is, all the degree holding graduates DO NOT get any offer letters. Amongst the ones who received ‘provisional’ ones may not get ‘confirmation letters’ that enable them to join the IT/Software company to start their careers. Which means, many of these young engineering graduates are left in the proverbial ‘lurch’ and join the bandwagon of unemployed youth in the country. Now, does it mean that there are no jobs or vacant positions available for these young engineers to apply and join? The fact is that there are plenty and many companies, large and small alike, struggle to get suitable candidates. So what is the problem facing them? It is called UNEMPLOYABILITY.

The Response

"Enablement through focussed hands-on practical learning through "True internship" and Job creation for the degree holders.

Presenting SkillForce, a social engineered startup for creating a talent workforce using the “FACTree” model (Facilitated & Accelerated Competent Talent Tree) akin to a production driven “Factory”, with an aim to create software professionals through a shopfloor experience approach. A comprehensive hands-on model, where the ‘learning is by doing’, less theory (minimal needed) and more practical (Maximum practice) with the work being actual software development (no mock / simulation). This is a much needed model for the IT/Software industry, similar to other engineering streams that runs on a production driven mode. To understand better, let us delve a bit into the background.

Read More
Edit Content

The Response - Enablement through focussed hands-on practical learning through True internship and Job creation for the degree holders.

Presenting SkillForce, a social engineered startup for creating a talent workforce using the “FACTree” model (Facilitated & Accelerated Competent Talent Tree) akin to a production driven “Factory”, with an aim to create software professionals through a shopfloor experience approach. A comprehensive hands-on model, where the ‘learning is by doing’, less theory (minimal needed) and more practical (Maximum practice) with the work being actual software development (no mock / simulation). This is a much needed model for the IT/Software industry, similar to other engineering streams that runs on a production driven mode. To understand better, let us delve a bit into the background.

 

Most fresh engineers, mainly from tier 2/3/4 locations in the country aspire for a good career in the burgeoning IT/software industry when they choose to pursue an engineering degree. After 4 years of hardwork, poring through various books and learning the concepts theoretically, they apprear for the final examinations to obtain the coveted degree. The engineering institutions arrange for campus recruitment where hordes of companies arrive to identify and select the best of the lot that are presented to them. At times, many of the engineering graduates get ‘provisional offer’ letters (even prior to writing their final semester exams), a type of ‘lock-in’ established by the industry and HR process. All is good when the ‘provisional offer’ becomes a ‘confirmed offer’ and the graduated engineers finally join their employers. As part of the employment process, many companies (especially large ones) conduct induction training to advanced learning of certain skills before the engineers are deployed into actual work areas and production environment. These are generally termed as “billable” assignments or projects.

 

The reality (fact) has to be faced. That is, all the degree holding graduates DO NOT get any offer letters. Amongst the ones who received ‘provisional’ ones may not get ‘confirmation letters’ that enable them to join the IT/Software company to start their careers. Which means, many of these young engineering graduates are left in the proverbial ‘lurch’ and join the bandwagon of unemployed youth in the country. Now, does it mean that there are no jobs or vacant positions available for these young engineers to apply and join? The fact is that there are plenty and many companies, large and small alike, struggle to get suitable candidates. So what is the problem facing them? It is called UNEMPLOYABILITY.

Build

This internship stage may be for a duration of about 1 year and depending on the progress made, the time duration could be lesser. The prime objective of "True Internship" is to learn all aspects of software development in a practical environment (as in a software company) and become ready for an active role in the industry with the needed skills. During this time, the fresh engineers are provided with significant learning on software development processes and methods that are industry standard with universal acceptance. Alongside the methodologies, the interns are coached through intensive learning of various tools and technologioes using a comprehensive hands-on approach to software development. A rigourous working model following the SDLC processes are pursued in real-time and real-life product development / project execution scenario's. Actual production oriented work becomes the practice ground to hone the skills learnt during the internship and not 'academic', 'practice' or 'simulation' projects. Apart from hands-on technical knowledge being imparted, the interns also go through a series of self-development, charecter building as future software professional and importantly 'soft-skills' including communication skills learning to acquire all-round skills. This is a pure play skill development exercise that makes the "interns" fully equipped and ready to take up "individual contributor" roles.

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Operate

This is the second stage in the program, generally reached after successfully completing the "True Internship" stage, is the real beginning of a career ladder that each aspiring software professional needs to climb. During this stage, each of the successful resources of the "True Internship" program would be assigned to various client facing roles and project work, depending on the skills set they possess at that time and opportunities at hand. Which means, each resource is fully 'employable' in generic perspectives, but needs to get 'real' experience under their belt to move onto the next stage in their career. During this stage, each resource would be enrolled in the CLP (Continuous Learning Program) where they would benefit from ongoing training initiatives, including learning of advanced technology topics. This stage not only provides for quality work execution related experiences, but also consolidates the learning for accelerated growth in the next stage.

Transfer

This is the third and final stage of the program that typically provides for a platform for the budding software professionals, who have become experienced indiviidual contributors, to ascend and accelerate their professional growth in the industry. Each of the resources at this stage would have the option to take up the next career step and get the transition to full time roles with any company in the industry that would value their skills. A comprehensive transfer program akin to a placement service would be available for the benefits of the individual and industry.

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