Best Practices of GITAM
Best Practice-I
Title : Skill development initiatives for Overall development of students and enhance start-up culture to promote entrepreneurship
Objectives
- Transformational education experience to meet skill requirements of the industry
- Provide multifaceted eco system to inculcate product development skills among students
- Develop rational thinking and research culture among the students and faculty
- Attract resources including funding opportunities for entrepreneurial experiments
- Develop an innovation culture with societal obligations
The Context
The Practice
SkillUP Program: Only 5% students get placed in high impact salary jobs and this program ensures student to be in that 5%. This program will help the students be able to easily solve problems asked in coding interviews of these companies. This program is designed for two years and three levels to meet the company requirement. The students will be eligible to the next level only if they satisfy current program requirements.
SkillBridge Program: In today’s world survival of the fittest is in trend, organizations are not only looking for individuals with a prescribed Technical skills set but more importantly individuals with a propensity to demonstrate ‘Hard skills’ efficiently. Technical training in this program will be tailored to the set of skills required at the company or organization.
Skill Refresher Program: is a one month summer refresher program for VI semester Students. Aptitude, Technical Training, Communication Skills and Mock Interviews are the integral part of the selection procedure in almost all the MNC Companies. CEST Conducts Program for Students in a workshop mode, which helps students to revise, revives and re-construct their preparation in synchronize with industries demand.
GITAMIncubation Centre (GIC) has been started with an ample closet space of 5000 sq. ft in institute premises. The GICcentre enables the infrastructural support to students and faculty to convert their ideas into final products. This centre is recognized as business incubator by ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) through which any student, faculty and innovators can apply for seed fund and capital fund support. GIC will ensure that incubates to have access to technological assistance which will be generated through mentors with multidisciplinary expertise.
Science and Technology Start-Up Enclave of GITAM is a pioneer in the region for supporting the entrepreneurs to establish successful business with a special focus on Smart Manufacturing and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
Maker Space of GITAM is furnished with equipment ranging from small 3D printers to large industrial machining centres, such as, precision measurement and Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining, industry-standard lathes, rapid prototyping technology –3D printers, are available for the students for prototype development.
List of Success
- Around 8 workshops and training programs are organized on skill development
- Increased placements from 45% to 70% with an increase in median salary package from 2.4 lacs to 5 lacs per annum
- Provided the platform to many UG and PG students for skill development and entrepreneurship
- Around 9 products developed across various disciplines of engineering
- GITAM has produced 2 Utility patents, 4 Design patents.
- Five MoU’s signed with industries to enhance skill development and incubation programs
Problems Encountered and Resources Required
- Balancing academics with co-curricular activities
- Attracting seed funding/venture capital for the startups
- Maintenance and utilization of high-end research infrastructure
- Limited funding support for innovation and entrepreneurship activities
- Financial burden on the management for augmenting incubation and startup infrastructure
Notes:
Better interaction between technical institutions and industry is the need of the hour. This will have great bearing on the Engineering Curriculum, exposure of industrial atmosphere to engineering students and subsequent placement of young graduating engineers in industries across the country. The industry-Institute Partnership Cell (IIPC) of the institute is a dedicated to promote the close interaction of industry and various departments of the institute. The IIPC facilitates consultancy, sponsored R & D projects and industrial and academic trainings those are not prescribed in the syllabus in addition to conducting industrial exhibitions and interaction meets. IIPC prepares engineering students for jobs in multinational companies, by exposing them to newer technologies and engineering methodologies. This bridges the gap between industry and the academic institute
