The Odisha Government has decided to provide career and counselling services for students at the higher education level in the Government-run colleges.
Due to the impact of globalisation and technological advancements in order to facilitate meaningful career for students in academics or industry, it was felt that a good Career and Counselling Cell (CCC) at colleges is essential to bridge the employability gap, focusing on entrepreneurship and establishing linkages with the job market to facilitate placement.
Higher Education Secretary Bishnupada Sethi has held discussions with the senior officials of the department in this regard. Accordingly, guidelines have been prepared for the colleges to open the CCC, said sources.
The CCC would promote the holistic development of the young talents to discover their full potential and engage in meaningful career that contributes in creating a socially responsible, morally aware, economically independent and an active partner in the progress of the State and the society.
The CCC would identify the values and interest of the students and enhance their employability skills to face challenges and facilitate employment opportunities across the globe.
The broad objectives of the CCC are to make students develop their academic and career interests, and their short and long term goals through individual counseling and group discussion. This would assist students identify their own potential and interests and help them implement successful job search strategies.
The CCC would inform various opportunities available in the State and outside and create awareness among the students regarding career trends.
It would enhance soft skills of the students and make them industry ready and would facilitate employment opportunities and encourage students to be self-reliant.
A young faculty would be appointed as coordinator for CCC and arrangement for both one-on-one and group career counseling sessions for the students to make them aware of their strengths and weaknesses, explore their values and interest, identify the skills gaps and take up new learning to achieve career goals.
There is a need to get their aptitude, emotional quotient (EQ) measured using standard techniques/agencies and social media groups to be created for students to have immediate information regarding job or higher study opportunities.
The cell would organise basic employability skills training for students from all streams that include training on job preparedness, communication skills, etiquettes and manners, personality grooming, team work and IT skills.
The CCC is to arrange Employability Assessment Tests for the students in association with organisations such as NASSCOM (NAC-TEC), Aspiring Minds (AMCAT), Mettle Test (MET), Wheel box Employability Test and Youth4work Test and share comprehensive report with the students for corrective action.
As online tests have become the first process in majority of the recruitment drives, the CCC would have to tie up with portals like www.placementseason.coms for online mock tests free of cost. The cell would make arrangements with recruitment portals such as www.firstnaukri.com, www.monster.com, and www.fresherworld.com for online registration and selection of students of the colleges free of cost.
The CCC would facilitate campus recruitment drives for students pursuing professional courses as well as traditional courses inviting corporate, banks, NGOs and Government departments for the benefit of the students.