23rd August, 2019
Karmashil – Being Work Ready

1. Introduction
Karmashil- Being Work Ready is a youth employment program of Sukalpa International Pvt. Ltd. In collaboration with Blind Youth Association Nepal (BYAN), Sukalpa International commenced to provide skill-based training, coaching and counselling services to the 11 youth with disabilities (mainly BPS – Blind and partially sighted) from Jestha 1, 2076 BS. The duration of the project is 3 months effective from Jestha 2076 till the end of Shrawan 2076.
2. Project Background
Karmashil – Being Work Ready is one of the initiatives of Sukalpa International which aims to provide a 360° employment services (skills, knowledge and support) for people with disabilities who are seeking for an employment opportunity. The objective of the program is to promote the job market for person with disabilities and provide employability skills to blind and partially sighted youth of Nepal targeting the employment market so that job providers accept them as an employee and provide disability friendly work environment.
The program is targeted to the blind and partially sighted youth of Nepal who have completed their intermediate level education. Due to the limited seats to be provided for training, Sukalpa implemented a rigorous process for selection of candidates. From the database of blind and partially sighted individuals provided by BYAN as well as the pool of interested candidates gathered through social media announcement, interview and group discussion was conducted. The candidates were assessed on criteria as education level, attitude, communication skills, commitment level and learning orientation. Among the 28 applicants who appeared for interview, 11 were selected for the training. However, drop outs in the middle of session led to the training completion of only 9 participants.
The 3-months project took place in the premises of Sukalpa which was successful to provide career counselling and profiling services; career coaching/training; and continuous support to the selected participants. After the completion of training, the participants will be supported in their industry placements through either job or internship opportunities.
3. Project Progress
Objective 1:
1.1. Conduct Self-Assessment Tools
We conducted self-assessment tools based on Holland Model by providing required aids i.e. Braille converted documents during the second week of the training (Jestha 14). The trainees were provided with the Holland Code Assessment tool (see Annex A) so that they can be matched with appropriate careers according to their personal interests.
The Holland Assessment tool was chosen because the model has been very influential in career counselling. Moreover, the theory takes a problem solving and cognitive approach to career planning. The theory proposes six areas in which all careers can be classified and these six areas
can be used to describe people, their personalities and interests. The assessment helps to figure out which career will suit you based on your personality type. Holland emphasizes that people who choose to work in an environment similar to their personality type are more likely to be successful and satisfied.
After the assessment was completed by the participants, their personality type was identified and individual reports were generated based on the assessment results. The details of the assessment results are presented in Annex B.
1.2. Conduct the Self-discovery Session
We conducted the self-discovery session during the first week of the training (Jestha 7-9). The main objective was to make the participants aware about their vision and career goals. Moreover, the self-discovery session was conducted to make them understand the value of behavioral and technical skills, difference between career and job, importance of employability skills and aspire them towards their career goal.
Objective 2:
2.1.Conduct the One-to-One Counseling Session
Following the career assessment, the individual reports were generated and one-to one counselling session was conducted during the second week (Jestha 16). The participants were provided with the descriptive report in Braille along with the recommendations for their career development. The report comprised of their personality traits along with the relevant knowledge, abilities and skills required to excel in their career prospects.
It was quite surprising that all the 10 participants fell under Social Personality Type.
2.2. Manage the database of required Technical Up-Skilling by the Career Seekers
The database of candidates has been maintained and updated on regular basis. Along with their demographic details, the results of career assessment is also managed in a database for future reference and technical up-skilling requirement of candidates.
Objective 3:
3.1.Conduct Personal Branding Session
We conducted Personal Branding session where the participants were taught to create their profile in LinkedIn so that they can search job on their own and create their professional presence in social media. This session also helped in developing their netiquette skills and self-branding.
Moreover, the session helped the participants to develop their CVs and cover letters on the basis of the job requirement. The theoretical session was conducted in Sukalpa while the practical session was conducted at BYAN with the facilitation of skilled trainers. The trainees were provided with the framework of CV and Cover Letter and were assigned to develop their own as
per their qualification and job requirement. The trainees were also provided with critical feedback on their CV and Cover Letter so that they can revise immediately.
3.2.Conduct the Values, Behaviors and Skills Session
We conducted the session on Values, Behaviors and Skills to make the participants aware about the expected values, behaviors and skills that needs to be delivered in any workplace. Moreover, the session was conducted to make them understand the importance of work values, acceptable behaviors and technical skills required to reach their career goal.
3.3. Conduct Effective Job Enhancing Tools Session
We conducted the Effective Job Enhancing Tools Session which included interview techniques, Dress for Success, STAR Technique, Job Search Techniques, Public Speaking Skills and Effective Communication.
This session involved active participation of the participants where we took mock interview in the job position they aspired to work. They were provided with the keynotes to consider while preparing for an interview. After the mock sessions, they were provided with feedback along with the scores obtained from the interview. Similarly, STAR technique and other tools required in job search were discussed among the participants.
In the job search workshop, the training participants were taught on how to effectively search for job vacancy in various sources. They were mentored on different techniques to search and apply for job and internship opportunities through LinkedIn as well as various job portal sites.
Similarly, Public Speaking and Effective Communication workshop was conducted where the candidates were asked to share their travel experiences and communicate in various scenarios. Along with the practical session, the participants were also provided with guidelines on how to effectively communicate in mass and handle speaking aids in an effective way. Next day, few participants were nominated as speakers while the rest became evaluators which helped them sharpen their speaking as well as listening skills. They were engaged in situation based role plays to enhance to mass handling skills.
3.4.Conduct the Technical/ Office Administration Workshop
Being office administration the main theme of the training, we provided technical skills training to the participants which included organizing meeting, developing minutes, record-keeping, documentation, and short report writing. The technical training session included both theoretical knowledge and practical experience. Along with that, a computer skills training was conducted to enhance their skills in MS package which included managing database, formatting, using shortcuts and sending emails.
Objective 4:
4.1. Industry Placement Activities
On the basis of the interest and qualification of the participants, our placement team approached employers to know if there were any job openings in their company. Conventional as well as modern approach was used to seek placement as well as internship opportunities for trainees. The qualification and capabilities of the participants were promoted via Sukalpa’s social media page which also helped us in reaching the probable employers. Based on the response from employers, the placement team forwarded the CVs of participants as per their field of study and interest. The industry placement team periodically followed up with the employers as well as participants before and after the selection phase (interview).
Though Karmashil program has formally ended, service related to industry placement is an on-going activity. Though the approached companies has responded quite positively, placement or confirmation takes time due to company’s structural issues as well as participants’ educational commitment. The current status of candidates in terms of their job placement or internship confirmation is presented below:
Table 4.1. Candidate Employment/Internship Status
Candidate Name
Organization Name
Status
Krishna Dahal
SB Web Technology
Appeared for interview
Kushal Neupane
Worldlink
In progress
Lucky Maharjan
Media School
Confirmed as Reporter Intern
Rajeeb Sah
Himchuli School
Confirmed as Science Teacher
Rajeev Ishar
Worldlink
In progress
Rojina Pokhrel
Tilganga Hospital
Confirmed as Intern
Saugat Wagle
NIC Asia Bank
Confirmed as Intern
Shiva Agrawal
Advance IT Training
Went to India for training purpose
Suprava Aryal
World Neighbours
In progress
Drop outs: Sashi Regmi, Jalasa Sapkota
4. Activity Summary
Day
Date
Session
Activities Summary
Day 1
Jestha 7
Orientation and Exploration
The participants were provided orientation on Sukalpa, Karmashil and its module. Similarly, an interactive session was conducted to discuss one’s vision and life goals along with the elements: Self-discovery, Right Industry Fit, Acquire Skill sets, Be G-Local
Day 2
Jestha 8
Goal Setting (SMART)
Participants were asked to frame Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely goals based on their vision
Day 3
Jestha 9
Career Vs Job
The Behavioral and Technical skills were specified and the difference between Career and Job was stated.
Day 4
Jestha 14
Career Assessment
The Holland Code Assessment tool was administered among the trainees to identify their personality type and interest area.
Day 5
Jestha 15
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
An interactive session was conducted to discuss on the importance of knowledge, skills and abilities
Day 6
Jestha 16
Career Counselling
The one-to-one counselling session was conducted based on the results of Holland Assessment. Along with that, the participants provided feedback on the level of relevance with the results achieved.
Day 7
Jestha 21
Personal Branding
A theoretical session on Personal Branding was conducted in which the participants were mentored on netiquette/ online presence in social media as well as developing CV and Cover Letter.
Day 8
Jestha 22
Personal Branding
A practical session was conducted at BYAN where the participants were made to develop their CV and Cover Letter.
Day 9
Jestha 23
Personal Branding
A practical session was conducted at BYAN where the participants worked on their LinkedIn profile.
Day 10
Jestha 28
Values, Behaviors, Skills
An interactive session was conducted to discuss the values, behaviors and skills in perspective of a human as well as a future employee.
Day 11
Jestha 29
Values, Behaviors, Skills
A case study related to values was provided to the participants to develop their analytical skills and reflect on the previous session learnings.
Day 12
Jestha 30
SET UP WIN Model
An interactive session was conducted to discuss one’s career goals and various stages in one’s career to reach ultimate target.
Day 13
Asadh 16
Career Mentoring Session
A Career Mentoring Session was conducted where Ms. Nirmala Gyawali, Executive Director of ADSoN gave motivational speech and mentored the participants.
Day 14
Asadh 17
Interview Techniques
A theoretical session along with role-plays was conducted to discuss the STAR technique and the things to consider for an interview.
Day 15
Asadh 18
Mock Interview
A mock session was conducted to give participants real life experience of giving an interview for their desired job roles.
Day 16
Asadh 19
Mock Interview
A mock session was conducted to give participants real life experience of giving an interview for their desired job roles.
Day 17
Asadh 24
Feedback/ Experience sharing
All the participants were provided with feedback on their performance during the mock interviews. Also, Karmashil Alumni, Mr. Bharat B.C. shared his experiences and motivated participants.
Day 18
Asadh 25
Job Search Techniques
An information session was conducted regarding various job searching portals and applying techniques
Day 19
Asadh 27
Job Search Techniques
A practical session was conducted where participants registered in job portal sites and applied to vacant jobs as per their interest and qualification.
Day 20
Asadh 31
Effective Communication
An interactive session was conducted to enhance one’s communication skills as well as listening skills
Day 21
Shrawan 1
Public Speaking
Based on Toastmaster’s structure, a public speaking session was conducted in which the participants spoke on certain topics and fellow participants provided critical feedback
Day 22
Shrawan 2
Preparing for Interview
The participants appeared for interviews conducted by real-life recruiters.
Day 23
Shrawan 7
Organizing meeting
A practical session was conducted to organize meetings as well as to develop minutes.
Day 24
Shrawan 9
Record Keeping/ Documentation
A theoretical session was conducted to provide general overview, different forms and elements of record-keeping
Day 25
Shrawan 13
Documentation
A practical session was conducted to understand different forms of documentation, indexing, storage and data handling
Day 26
Shrawan 14
Short Report Writing
An interactive session was conducted to brainstorm and develop the contents and ideas.
Day 27
Shrawan 15
Short Report Writing
The participants were provided with the framework and guidelines to develop a report and were assigned to compose a short report.
Day 28
Shrawan 16
Basic Computer
A practical session was conducted to enhance their skills in MS package from managing database, formatting and sending emails
Day 29
Shrawan 17
Basic Computer
A practical session was conducted to enhance their skills in MS package from managing database, formatting and sending emails
5. Challenges
The challenges we faced during the training period are:
 Absenteeism of participants
Having majority of participants from undergraduate level, they had educational as well as social commitment to fulfill. Apart from terminal examinations, participants were engaged in prestigious events like EIMUN. Being a very active batch of trainees, they were involved in other trainings as well that led to their frequent absenteeism.
 Late arrival of trainees
Despite mentioning time and again to be punctual for the session, few participants tend to come late. This not only demotivate the punctual participants but also make the late-comers miss out certain portion of the session. Moreover, the late arrival also disrupts the flow of content delivery during the training.
 Lack of commitment
There was a gradual decrease in the level of commitment among participants. We observed lack of prioritization among few participants who took the training program for granted. Few opted for a fun outing than a very important training session. One of the participants made excuses but didn’t attend the training after the examination break though followed up time and again which led to drop-out of the trainee.
 Lok Sewa and other events
Few participants aspired to work in public sector and took sudden break in the middle of session to prepare for Lok Sewa. They prioritized the entrance examination and failed to attend the training sessions.
6. Placement Challenges
The challenges we faced during the job searching and placement period are:
 Rigid chain of command and organizational structure has caused delay on the decision making to hire persons with visual impairment. Even the company responded positively, placement of candidates was not assured.
 The unavailability of job openings as per the interest of the trainees have caused problem during the placement activity.
 Employers have pre-set mindset about persons with visual impairment and believe that they would require additional support person to look after them. Employers lack the awareness that people with visual impairment are independent and are equally able to perform tasks.
 Being provided with the session on job searching techniques, we expected trainees to search and apply for the available job vacancies themselves but very few applied their learnings into practice.
7. Event/ Promotions
7.1.Career Mentoring Session
A Career Mentoring Session was conducted on Asadh 16 where Ms. Nirmala Gyawali, Executive Director of Ability Development Society of Nepal (ADSoN) gave motivational speech to the participants. She stressed on the importance of punctuality and persistence to succeed in life and mentored the participants to get a broader picture on their career aspirations.
7.2.Experience Sharing Session
On Asadh 24, Karmashil Alumni, Mr. Bharat B.C. shared his experiences and motivated participants. Mr. B.C. shared his experience during the Karmashil training and the skills and competencies he developed after completion of the training program.
7.3.Mock Interview
A mock session was conducted to give participants real life experience of giving an interview for their desired job roles. Mock interviews provided trainees with an opportunity to test out their interview skills and helped them to get practical experience.
7.4. Effective Communication Session
An interactive session was conducted to prepare the participants for effective communication which is a very important skill to be demonstrated at the workplace. Based on Toastmaster’s structure, a public speaking session was conducted in which the participants spoke on certain topics and fellow participants provided critical feedback.
7.5.Podcasts
A podcast with ‘Arule K Bhancha’ was organized where the Karmashil participants shared their opinions on societal norms and misconceptions people have about blind people. They also shared about their career interest and future goals in life.
7.6.Last Day of Karmashil
The final day of Karmashil training ended with short interview session by ‘Arule K Bhancha’.