Padmavati Prabhu
Panaji
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Goa State Council for Educational Research and Training (GSCERT) is providing data-driven, research-backed and personalised career guidance to nearly 20,000 students of Class 12 across all streams – Science, Commerce, Arts and Vocational – through the Goa Career Navigator Programme.
“This is the first statewide, taluka-wise, stream-wise career counselling initiative taken up which is aimed at ensuring that every Class 12 student gets access to scientific and personalised career guidance,” said Chandrakant Shinde, state nodal officer for career counselling, GSCERT.
The counselling sessions will be interactive and make use of psychometric assessments, career mapping and personalised guidance reports, he said.
The programme will bridge the gap between the available career opportunities and student awareness and create a support ecosystem involving students, parents and
educators.
“Most importantly, this initiative will expose students to the emerging career fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), digital media, environmental sciences, among others,” said Shinde.
To facilitate the programme, GSCERT has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with UNOCUE Pro Edutech LLP, which is providing technology-driven career counselling tools.
“We are implementing the programme in two phases. In the first phase, nearly 20,000 students of Class 12 are being covered wherein, along with the students, parents too will participate,” said Shinde. He said approximately 13,000 students of six talukas of Tiswadi, Pernem, Bardez, Salcete, Bicholim and Sattari have been covered as of now.
In the phase II expansion, GSCERT plans inclusion of Class 10 students.
“With the implementation of this programme, we expect improved career awareness and decision-making among students, reduction in career mismatches and dropouts due to uninformed choices and creation of a long-term, sustainable career guidance ecosystem in Goa,” said Shinde.
