Job we met: Teach India's English edge

NEW DELHI: Among the many students and job-aspirants who have undergone a Teach India training for proficiency in spoken English are some key groups. One of the programme's major initiatives was its partnering with government-run industrial training institutes, popularly known as the ITIs.
It was often observed that despite receiving training, ITI graduates failed to secure employment in reputed organizations because of their lack of proficiency in professional communication.To skill these students in spoken English, Teach India conducted a pilot in March 2012 with about 100 students. It was a big success, such that Teach India was made the official training partner for spoken-English training at 'World Class Skills Centre' and the programme implemented successfully in many more ITIs in Delhi.
Another key spoken-English training programme was launched for Tihar Jail inmates on the premise that this was a crucial skill that would help inmates face job interviews that jail authorities organize for those being released from prison. In the last two years, Teach India has conducted classes in Jail No. 3, 4, 5, 6 (women's jail) and 7 (adolescents' jail). The training has boosted the confidence of inmates facing interviews and a life outside prison. Badal Firozi, for one, could not speak in English when he came to Tihar in 2008, but now says he talks to fellow inmates only in the Queen's language. Undertrial Nadeem Khan says he's read The Alchemist and has taken to quoting Paulo Coelho when talking to fellow inmates. "I had no hope for my future," says Khan, but now, "I'm not afraid of the future. Teach India's classes have helped me prepare to land a job." Khan practises his newfound skill by interacting with foreign inmates. He says, "They ask, 'Are you calling us for your English practice sessions?"

Firozi, studying tourism, gives Khaled Hosseini's books a thumbs-up. The aspiring tourist guide says Teach India has been a 'confidence-capsule', that made him confident of acing interviews. "I've practised in our 'role play' classes a lot. I can face any job interview," he says. Another inmate, RJ Shehzad, says he never found English 'easy' and is grateful that his teachers "made it an easy learning". "Just like other students," is how Teach India volunteer Noni Jolly describes her students at Tihar. She taught here in 2012 too. Sharing her experience, she said inmates are excited to learn English. "It is an interactive course: It's like learning and playing together," she said, adding inmates make for 'involved learners'. Volunteer teacher Tamanna Tandon echoes the sentiment. They want to change their future by learning, said Tandon. "You don't know the people you're interacting with. But once we started talking, perceptions change," she said.

Tihar Jail DG Alok Kumar Verma is keen that the Teach India programme become an annual Tihar event. He finds student-inmates excited about the programme's benefits, calling it a personality-grooming module as well. "It's going to help them in placement. We took this opportunity to partner with Teach India that should be made part of our annual programmes list," said Verma.
Another project runs for Delhi Police, started with the aim of equipping police with verbal proficiency in English. The Teach India training is specially significant for those manning '100' Helpline and PCR calls. After the success of the pilot to train constables at Delhi Police HQ, Teach India moved on to train 419 probationary sub-inspectors at Delhi's Police Training College. Teach India has now been made mandatory in PSIs' course curriculum. The module's being expanded to train staff at local police stations across Delhi.