The guiding light

The Students to Professionals programme by Anahata United Efforts Foundation has been empowering socio-economically disadvantaged students through education, career guidance, and meaningful partnerships

- ANIL SWARUP

Neither my parents nor I had any plans that I study beyond the 10th class. When they started career planning classes in my government school, I was not interested. Then one day, I heard my teacher talk about the work done in the BFSI sector and it piqued my interest. While the automotive or healthcare sector did not interest me, the BFSI sector did." These are the words of young Shubhapradha, an alumnus of a Government High School in Bangalore, where United Efforts' Students to Professionals Programme was launched in 2018. Currently, Shubha is excelling in her second year of BCom and working to become a professional in the BFSI sector.

As in any other Government High School, teachers at Shubhapradha's school work hard to ensure their students pass the 10th board (SSLC). However, under pressure from the exam system, few think beyond this benchmark. The dropout rate after class 10 in India stands at 20.6 per cent, and it's 28.2 per cent in Karnataka. Shubha might have become part of this statistic if not for the opportunity to receive "Education with Exposure." This paved the way for awareness and clarity, empowering her to shape a future aligned with her interests and abilities.

Anahata United Efforts Foundation was established in 2018 through IIM Bangalore's NSRCEL launchpad, with the objective of enhancing the potential of students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds in a systematic way. Over time, the Foundation developed a comprehensive Students to Professionals Programme designed to expose students in grades 8 through 10 to various educational and career pathways. The programme's strength lies in covering both familiar and complex sectors across the STEAM spectrum in ways that pique curiosity and motivate students to pursue education objectively.

The Students to Professionals programme curriculum has three main parts: