STRATEGICALTERNATIVES

TO FIGHT ANEXISTENTIAL

ISSUE

IIHT is a pioneering hardware and networking IT IMS training institute. It is India’s largest IT education organization and Asia’s leading technology training organization in IMS, offering high quality industry specific cost effective professional computer training at individual and corporate levels.

Based out of Bangalore, India; IIHT has a strong presence in the Indian market with over 300 plus centres. Its global presence envelops West Africa, East Africa, South Africa, China, Turkey, Malaysia, Middle East, Sri Lanka and other countries. Latest collaborations in Africa include countries such as Angola, Nigeria, Mozambique, Liberia, Togo, Kenya, Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Gambia and so on. IIHT is present through its esteemed franchises in Over 22 countries Worldwide.

IIHT is a preferred partner of Microsoft, C i s c o, H P, S y m a n t e c, R e d h a t, S u n M i c r o s y s t ems, N e t A p p s, C omp T i a, CITRIX, VMware, EMC2 and many more IT majors around the world. And has Alliance with Sikkim Manipal University, one of the top Indian Universities, to offer Degree to its IMS courses. IIHT has a strategic alliance with EDEXCEL, UK. EDEXCEL has recognized the 2 year IIHT d i p l o m a c o u r s e a s B T E C H i g h e r National Diploma – IT IMS. In Partnership with Microsoft IIHT has also launched Cloud computing in 2011.

A University’s journey through rectifying the issues in the current education practices and building learning solutions that is quintessential! Education institutes face ongoing challenges of competition, skyrocketing costs and unpredictable economy. It is imperative, above all, for the institutes to not to be fastidious and work on engraving the latest advents in their textbooks.

Identifying the LOOPHOLE

A University in Liberia, Africa amidst all, decided to add a new wing to its unfaltering fraternity, a new department that gives its students an edge over others and thereby giving an edge to university itself.

The management was unsure whether existing course set up was efficient enough for its students to achieve their career goals. The management took up a two year strategy to tackle the current situation faced by graduates in the job market. The new generation students are not being able to find placements on time.

A study was conducted covering three major universities in the nation for two consecutive years and it was found that over 60% of the students graduating took longer than a year to find a job and overall 60% were still under-employed by the end of two years. It was disheartening at the same time questioning the credibility of the education imparted by the university.

The university decided to build learning solutions that address the issue giving its students an opportunity to face the world with right prospective and with skill-sets that support it. Key purpose was also to strengthen the brand image of the university and make it most preferred among students.

The Study

Year 1:

216 students35% found a job60% unemployed 30% under employed

Two years of study was focused on 300 students who decided to pursue career paths in IT after a certain graduation. Students were selected through fish bowl method, from three different universities. Study revealed that 72% felt they were job ready and started to look for jobs in IT right after graduating, 14% were looking out for options in higher education, 8% were joining family businesses and 6% had not planned anything yet. Of 72% only 12% were able to find a job within 2 months, another 23% got placements within the Year-1. Over 60% students had not found a job even after a year and the remaining 5% had decided to look for further education. Of the ones who found jobs 30% were under employed.

The Study

Year 2:

90% found a job8% unemployed83% still underemployed

When a survey was conducted among same participants at the end of Year-2 it was found that 90% of them had found jobs, but surprisingly the survey also revealed that 83% of them were underemployed, with no substantial growth in the career in the two years. 73% were found unhappy with their job and compensation with rest being somewhat satisfied. Over a third of them settled for jobs that had no relevance to education. Even the students who pursued further education were unable to find jobs relevant to their education and aspiration.

The Study

“After applying for 100s of jobs I realised it’s something or nothing. I was found unfit for all most every type of job and so I am working as an office assistant now. Even this I’m not sure how long I can keep as things changes every day.”

Anna, Study participant

“I thought the course I chose and with marks I scored I’d find a job anywhere however it took over 6 months for me to find this job and at executive level it’s a very low profile job hardly using any of my skills and compensation is quite less.”

Richard, Study participant

Nearly 50 employers in IT field were interviewed to ascertain the reason for not recruiting the fresher’s even at the entry level. 86% of them felt that fresh graduates did not possess required skills especially up-to-date IT skills with negligible 8% percent feeling that fresh graduates had some amount of skills required and rest 6% were unsure of same.

“Fresh graduates have no knowledge or skills required for even executive roles. There are fewer even applying for these jobs as they realise they do not posses required skills. The IT environment faces a challenge of inadequate supply of talent to manage its operations today. ”

A CTO

It was decided that the new course • Must be from a pioneering and reputed IT IMS

training • Could be updated on a regular basis• Has universal acceptance• Comprehensive learning material and stimulating

learning experience• Co-Certified by world IT leaders• Is recognised by IT majors • Possibility to create Live environments for real life

learning experience• Cost effective • Could meet needs of Secondary School Graduate to

a Master degree holder• The courses ranged from few months course

designed for up-skill to graduation programs

The university called for board meeting to discuss findings of the study and to explore alternative solutions to the situation. It was a general consensus among the board members that new courses have to be introduced in the university that would leverage the employability quotient among students and assure placements in relevant field after latest certification at various levels and thereby build advantage for the university over the others in the nation.

THE BRAINSTORMING The Brainstorming

The board explored various franchising opportunities, for an institute that is renowned for its product quality and possess above stated features. Through a philanthropic university in Nigeria, An institute named IIHT came into light. The university, for a period of three months researched about IIHT and its service repute. After comparisons with other major IT IMS training institutes and evaluating opportunity costs, the university approached IIHT for purchasing the Franchise.

Finding the Answer

AN IIHT INTERVENTIONAfter thoroughly• investigating the university and the student end of the

story, • conducting detailed analysis of the job market in Liberia

and the surrounding economies,• exploring university relationship with the employers•And understanding the knowledge among all three

about the current trends

The university determine the set of courses that they could offer to the students. Courses that provide potentials that the employers are looking for. IIHT identified potential employers not only from across the nation but also leading IT companies from across Africa that would offer jobs to pupil with IIHT certification. The university management was trained on building relationships with employers.

The university adopted courses such as ICCP, GNetPro, edexcel, GIMS and extended to courses such as BSc IMS, Master’s in IT IMS etc in the next year. Hand-held support was given to the University in acquiring all equipments, talent and other resources. The new institution was established to provide extended learning solutions to the students. The university is now able to offer courses with 100% placement assistance. Effective enrolment was possible through strategic marketing practices. Almost all the students passing out of the courses find suitable jobs within couple of months and have a lot to expect.

University is attracting students from all over the nation and beyond. IIHT continues to monitor activities of the centre providing services and assistance as and when needed. IIHT strives to bring solutions to issues of educationists by means of delivering core curriculum that is standardised across all employers in the respective industry by partnering with the IT majors themselves.

The goodwill is not only because IIHT provides skilled manpower in the areas of hardware, networking, database management, security and storage management but also because the students are taught the latest technology advancements in the industry. This is coupled with hands-on lab sessions where in the students get exposed to simulation of live situations of day to day operations in organizations. This equips the students to proactively act to situations and implement the best possible solution befitting the situation once on job.

Further the curriculum is customized based on relevance of current trends and expectations of businesses, which is endorsed by our many partners and many more IT majors from around the world.

IIHT’s brand repute is built over its’ years of excellence in service, delivering high quality training and cutting edge infrastructure. IIHT envisions of becoming a globally accepted and acknowledged end-to-end IT education and training solution provider. As a testimonial, IIHT is now catering to renowned IT majors and Fortune 100 companies for their manpower requirements; IIHT showcases 40% annual CAGR; and our franchise partners are spread across the world.

End Note

Corporate Headquarters#15,Sri Lakshmi Complex, 4th Floor, St. Marks Road, Bangalore - 560 001. India

Tel: 91 80 6160 4545 e-mail: franchise@iihttechnologies.com web: www.iihttechnologies.com