BANGALORE: IT services major
Infosys is
doing its bit to improve the lot of students from economically disadvantaged
sections of society.
Mohandas Pai,
Infosys head of HR, said that the company had chosen hundred young
unemployed engineers from disadvantaged sections for a six-month training at IIIT
Bangalore.
Additionally, the company also trained 60 graduates from disadvantaged sections
and provided them with free training. Fifty of these students were hired to work
at Infy's BPO
subsidiary, Progeon.
Pai is hoping that other corporates would follow suit. “This is a call to
corporate India to pick up the gauntlet and intervene through education and
training to relieve the wage pressures.”
On the other hand, he also warned that there was a need for immediate reform in
the education system itself since it was putting an unbearable cost of around
$2.3 billion on training in the industry.
Infosys
annually spends around 100 million of its $2.2 billion revenue on training.
Progeon has also bolstered programs to attract students on college campuses. The
company recently held its second academic conclave, which was attended by
lecturers from for 50 colleges in Bangalore and Mysore.
The company
has also created a program called Project Genesis that helps degree colleges in
tier-two and —three cities to align their curriculum to industry requirements.
In 2005, around 390 lecturers across Karnataka and Rajasthan were trained who in
turn taught 5900 students.
The company has been working closely with both students and teachers to dispel
myths on the BPO industry such as health hazards, unsafe working conditions and
that it cannot be a long-term career option.
These efforts seem to be paying off. “A few years ago, less than a hundred
students joined
Progeon from campuses. This year 3800 job offers were made of which 1800
accepted the offer and joined the company,” said Nandita Gurjar, VP and head,
HR, Progeon.
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Infosys calls for industry focus on education
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