Given the huge demand for internships against the limited availability of positions in Indian companies, most students fail to get an internship. Even where they do get an internship, corporates are unable to devote time or resources on the actual grooming of students.

To address these challenges, CII has launched Smart Manager Certificate Programme, in partnership withGlobalGyan. CII Smart Manager Certificate Programme will make students ready for their professional careers with practical competencies that all employers seek. This programme will provide those skills to students that are typically gained through work experience or internships. The certificate programme will be open to students of all colleges affiliated with AICTE.

It aims to equip young managers with the core Business Acumen and Leadership Skills that every employer seeks in their new employees. Leadership skills focus on effective communication, managing self as well as various stakeholders in the corporate environment, diversity and ethics and time management. The Business Acumen component helps build problem solving and critical thinking through topics like awareness of business, customers and competition; art of selling and persuasion; design thinking and making sense of financial numbers. The programme would also provide participants with application of emerging technologies such as Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning from a business perspective.

The mode of delivery would be a blend of self-paced digital learning through Android, iOS and web apps, as well as live interactive sessions over a duration of four months. The learning journey will be interspersed with regular interactive assessments which will test application of concepts. This would ensure that the CII Smart Manager Certificate would be equivalent to an industry internship.

The CII Smart Manager Certificate Programme has been designed and developed by highly experienced CXOs and business school faculty at GlobalGyan, including Dr. Ashok Korwar, a leading corporate consultant and former Chairman-PGP, IIM Ahmedabad, Gagandeep Singh, a visiting faculty at ISB, INSEAD and IIMA and Usha Rangarajan, a former CXO with experiences in Wipro, Tata Teleservices and IHCL.

Co-Chairman of CII Education Council, Dr BVR Mohan Reddy said, “It takes more than theoretical knowledge to get ahead in one’s professional career; students are required to develop practical business and people management skills as workplaces are getting more complex and competitive. There aren’t enough internship opportunities for all students in Indian companies, and even where students do get internships, in many cases they don’t learn much because corporates are unable to devote time or resources on grooming them. CII is working with various partners to tackle this challenge and the Smart Manager Certificate Programme is a step in that direction. It will help students get ready for their professional careers, with practical competencies that all employers seek.”

Speaking on the partnership, Mr. Srinivasa Addepalli, CEO, GlobalGyan said, “We are excited to be partnering with CII in preparing students for job readiness. It is our endeavour that high-quality management learning becomes accessible to all those who need it for career enhancement. Digital training curated by CXO’s and top academicians ensures a level playing field for students from across the country. This gives an equal edge to all who make the effort to learn, not just the ones who have exposure to limited internship opportunities.”