Today, the 24x7 Learning is entrenched into employability training, executive education, implementation of corporate universities infrastructure and several other domains.

Mr Karthik K S, Founder and CEO of 24x7 Learning, in an interview with MBAUniverse.com, talks about developments in eLearning, employability, training industry, and also about the company’s future plans.

Mr Karthik, a trained engineer, also holds a Masters in Business Management.

Prior to establishing 24x7 Learning, he had wide industry experience with companies like PCL, HCL, Hewlett Packard and Microland.

Excerpts from the Interview:

Q: Why is training and skill development industry coming into prominence these days?

A: In the last five years, Indian economy has grown at a very fast rate. This means that there is a massive demand for qualified manpower in today’s market, but skilled professionals are not available in enough numbers.

The youth want to acquire new skills and get the right jobs or move up the hierarchy. Corporate houses too require trained manpower. This has created a lot of interest in the training and skill-development sector.

Q: What was the premise with which 24x7 learning was started?  

A: The company was established in 2001. At that time, we saw a big gap in the prevalent education system and rising needs for the trained manpower. The demand from the industry was rising at a fast pace which traditional education and training system couldn’t meet. Hence we thought eLearning would be able to fill the gap. So the opportunity drove us into the eLearning domain.   

Q: What are the focus areas and domains in which 24x7 Learning operates?

A: 24x7 Learning is the world's first Talent Lifecycle Management company that delivers end-to-end learning solutions. From inception in 2001, we have evolved with changing market needs.

We have earned the unique distinction of implementing the largest number of ‘virtual corporate universities’ in the country - close to 30 - at some of the biggest names across verticals.  

Our SkillBridge platform addresses the early training needs in the Talent lifecycle. For the youth as well as industry, SkillBridge is an effective training program that enhances employable skills thus catering to the increasing workforce needs of fast-growth industries. We are expanding our presence in this sector in a big way.

New initiative Avagmah is all about continuing education. In collaboration with premier academic institutions, this platform offers degree and specialized certification programs to working professionals to skill and re-skill themselves.

So, our endeavour is to use our expertise in promoting education and skill-training through new technology.

Q: What do you consider to be the strengths of eLearning?

A: The main advantage of eLearning is that a student or executive can gain knowledge and skills without any time-barriers or geographical-boundaries. This creates immense possibilities of learning and development.  

Q: What is the estimated number of online learners in India?

A: In India, our estimate is that there are about one million online learners. This number is quite high. In future, the potential of online eLearning is very promising.

Q: Is online learning well accepted by the Industry?

A: Couple of years back when we have entered into this domain, online education wasn’t well accepted. That was the challenge for us. But there has been a change in mindset. A large number of students are now doing such courses in India. We need more industry reinforcement for online learning.  

Q: What programme are you offering through your Avagmah platform?

A: As I said, Avagmah is a continuing education platform in collaboration with premier academic institutions. Academic institutions act as the certifying authority and content partner, while we facilitate the delivery of the programmes.  

One of the first tie-ups is with IMT Ghaziabad’s Center for Distance Learning. We are offering a two year Advanced Post-Graduate Diploma in Management in association with IMT-CDL. This program is specially designed to provide young employees an opportunity for developing management skills.

Q: According to experts, employability of graduates is a big issue. What is the extent of this problem?  

A: Yes, it is absolutely right. There is a big employability issue among the educated youth, especially graduates.

According to a recent McKinsey report, only 25% of total engineers, 15% of the total finance and accounting professionals, and 10% of the general graduates from the colleges and universities are employable. There will be a shortfall of 3.1 million employable people by 2010 leading to a severe problem if the issue isn’t tackled at the grassroots level.

In most cases, the problem is not knowledge, but inability to communicate and implement that knowledge.

Q: What are your initiatives in this domain?

A: We are addressing the employability issue through our SkillBridge platform. Most of the manpower for Banking, Finance and Insurance sector or Retail or Telecom sector comes from smaller town. We are focussing on these towns. We are planning to open 400 centers across India which will act as employability centers for the masses. More than 50 centers are on the offing in northern India in states like Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh. The first such centre was launched in Himachal Pradesh in April this year.

Q: How can graduates become employable? What is your advice?

A: There are two ways – one is self development and the other is taking professionals help. So, in case of self development, I would advice them to get disciplined; read lots of books, be aware through mass media. They should improve their communication skills, and develop an extrovert personality.  

Q: Moving on to entrepreneurship, today it is becoming an important career choice. What will be your advice to budding entrepreneurs?  

A: Entrepreneurship is a very risky affair. It is much riskier than trading in stock markets. But we can hone our skills to be a successful entrepreneur.

Successful entrepreneurs never sit back and relax. Typically, their big success will come only after three or four ventures. They are always active and do multi-tasking.

In the end entrepreneurship is all about patience and big dreams. My suggestion for those who want to turn entrepreneurs is to 'dream big'!