Kozhikode : Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS), the state’s first labour cooperative that has emerged as one of the largest in Asia, is making an ambitious foray into education with plans to implement projects worth Rs 700 crore over next three years.
The construction major, which had diversified into IT sector by setting up a state-of-the-art IT park in Kozhikode in 2016, has identified education as its next major area of focus. The society’s educational arm – UL Education – has lined up a range of initiatives.
T P Sethumadhavan, director, UL Education, said that key projects to be undertaken by the society include setting up a national skill development park in Kozhikode in collaboration with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), at an investment of Rs 100 crore. The skill park would offer short term skill development courses in potential and emerging sectors.
Also, the society would launch a national institute of infrastructure and construction at Kollam to offer 38 skill development programmes to associated people – right from labourers to top managerial personnel – from June onwards. The initiative would see a financial commitment of around Rs 30 crore. The courses offered include post-graduate programmes for graduates, diploma programmes for Plus Two and ITI certificate holders and technical programmes for those who have passed SSLC. UL Education will partner with international agencies like NOCN, a leading UK Awarding and Assessment Organization, SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority) and other agencies for skill certifications.
Sethumadhavan said that the other major initiatives which will start this year itself include setting up a School of Development Sciences in Kozhikode, affiliated to Calicut University. “We have already applied for affiliation and we intend to offer job-oriented UG degree programme in subjects such as BA (Business Economics) BSc (Analytics) BSc (Artificial Intelligence) BSc (Design), BA Hons (Developmental Science), BCom with Finance, among others,” he said.
UL Education is also in the process of establishing institutes offering training in health analytics and retail analytics in Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively.
Other educational initiatives include starting a six month graduateship programme for BTech graduates to enhance their employment potential in collaboration with University of the West of Scotland and establishing two Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras at Wayanad and Kozhikode.
“When ULCCS started nine decades ago, the aim was to provide food and livelihood to its members. Now, the aspirations of the people have changed. Every week we are getting over 200 applications seeking jobs and what is surprising is that BTech graduates are willing to take up any job,” ULCCS chairman Rameshan Paleri said.
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