Edtech has taken the education industry by storm. With the pandemic looming over the whole world and remote learning becoming more popular, many learners have been going online not just to earn degrees but to gain skills that help them to be job-ready and upskill themselves to be eligible for jobs that are continuously evolving with time through technology and innovation. Founded by Girish Singhania, EduBridge is one such platform that guides learners to gain new skills and techniques that will help them move forward in their career and journey to excellence.
Girish says, “While working with Proctor & Gamble, as part of the ‘Rural India’ team, it occurred to me that the youth residing in the rural and undeserving pockets barely got a chance to make it into the corporate space due to various reasons.” In 2008, Edubridge was started to give rise to a platform that can reduce the urban-rural divide and provide corporations with a multi-skilled workforce that aligns with new dynamic and developing requirements. Today, almost 13 years later, Edubridge has helped over 200,000 youth across the nation to have all the tools they need to get the job they deserve.
Going the extra mile
EduBridge continues to find ways to stand out. By initiating collaborations with prominent corporations from the BFSI, IT and other sectors, EduBridge creates courses that aligns learns and professionals to ongoing requirements of the industry. This helps learners receive certifications that prove to be beneficial for them in the long term. Catering to youth that are 18+ years of age, Edubridge helps them unleash their youthful energy and thinking to do better in their careers. “We work towards skilling, upskilling, and reskilling professionals and learners, providing them with a guaranteed placement service opportunity as well. We also have a dedicated placement manager service who efficaciously guides learners on their strengths and weaknesses, propelling them to apply for courses that suits them best and train them to be employment-ready in the process,” says Girish. In addition to upskilling and reskilling, Edubridge also provides services like resume building, counselling, no-cost EMI options and a free Job Readiness and Employability Evaluation (JREE) assessment to test skillsets and abilities and align with market demand. EduBridge also provides assistance after the course, helping with interviews and placement and settling in the new job processes.
EduBridge has developed a proprietary system called the Edubridge Learning Integrated Training Environment (ELITE) that supports reporting and training operations. It acts as a central repository of all data and provides intelligent information from time to time in the form of reports. This allows senior management to keep track of all projects and is accessible at their fingertips. The software gives EduBridge performance reports and highlights gaps/issues/problems based on logic coded into the system.
With online learning taking learners to a new level, Learning Management Systems have become the need of the hour. EduBridge has its own system that ensures standard training delivery by the 450 Master Trainers from anywhere in India. These trainers comply with the syllabus set in the LMS and ensure uniformity of the course. Since many of them have also been in the field, they provide first-hand experience from the industry, creating mock-ups that stimulate learners to participate and equip them with real-life problem-solving skills.
EduBridge believes that it is always beneficial to open learners to the concept of clear thinking and questioning. Thus, the addition of guest lectures, industry exposure, office visits, industry mentorship, and internships keep learners engaged in the online delivery model, in addition to regular assessments. With an incorporated discussion-based model of learning, EduBridge helps learners get out of their comfort zone by improvising on instances they could meet with at their workplace. Learners tend to develop analytical and life skills through such practical sessions, which come in handy while essaying the profile.
Currently, EduBridge has about 100+ courses offered through their online portal, tons of support services and resources related to career development, and services like No-cost EMI to support those who really need it. All these offerings make EduBridge unique in its approach and dynamic in its operations to ensure challenges are identified, offers customized and experience personalized for each learner in the ecosystem. By aiming to change mindsets and help learners build sustainable careers for themselves, they also make sure that their doors are always open for those who need them at any point in their careers and can reach out without any hesitation.
Prepping for the future
In a world where being updated is the ongoing trend, in a professional space, this becomes more relevant, especially with the rise in automation and technology. In recent years, EduBridge has churned out young individuals who know that the future is now, and through their guidance, they have been equipped to face the world’s challenges. Over the last few years, Edubridge has progressed immensely in education. They have transformed the lives of more than 200,000 learners, of which 75% have already been placed in influential positions and jobs. “We are now getting ready to increase this outreach to 10x in coming years, and there is no looking back! It is fascinating to see the results and how many lives we can transform through our offerings,” Girish shares.
As the pandemic continued to rage, EduBridge decided to completely shift online and make it easier for learners to access their content and upskill themselves. With a futuristic vision of harnessing technology, the employees at EduBridge were prepared to take on the pandemic hit. It only prompted them to take things online a little earlier than anticipated. The transition was smooth, and the IT team invested a ton of hard work in making it happen.
With smartclasses and the availability of technology today, COVID-19 has become no match for companies and industries to move forward. With online education so readily available, there was no stopping Edubridge from getting to their learners and getting them future-ready. Thanks to technology and connectivity among learners and trainers, they could continue learning without skipping a beat. The technological revolution is upon us and in the education sector. Through upskilling and reskilling, people make sure they stay relevant in corporate spaces and in the working culture. Edtech companies like Edubridge are built to bridge these gaps and introduce learners to an array of short-term and highly effective, certification-driven course options. They can easily skill to suit their growing interest. Harnessing the digital advantage has helped change the method of instruction. “We have progressed from incorporating a discussion model versus an instruction model ensuring complete participation of learners and professionals. The live master trainer-led training delivery models gives learners the impetus to resolve queries on the spot,” says Girish.
At EduBridge’s GuruSchool, Master trainers undergo a rigorous training process and align themselves with the latest in tech, and are equipped to take on sessions in any setup with learners. These Master Trainers have first-hand experience as they are either already working with large corporations or have been part of the industry and know how things are evolving in the industry.
Keeping Spirits Up
EduBridge understands the need to keep the vision and mission alive among employees. To this end, EduBridge incorporates an array of team activities during weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual meets to help keep the culture alive and thriving, even during the pandemic. “We all follow the, ‘One team, one language dictum.’ This clearly explains certain seamlessness as we have rolled out specific vocabulary to build on the image of the brand through our employees,” says Girish.
These meets are something that many of them look forward to, as it gives them a chance to learn a lot about the challenges faced by other teams while discussing and coming up with solutions to overcome them. Like a family, Edubridge made sure that there was something to celebrate during the pandemic, to keep spirits up. They have a system that appreciates employees through a unique hierarchical structure. Every team has their appointed internal and external Brand Ambassadors, whereby information trickles down or out, and the work gets executed seamlessly. Noteworthy contributions are recognized every time a task has been successfully completed, and of course, appreciation, recognition, and rewards are always up for grabs as additional motivation.
Final Notes
The digital divide is a gaping hole in India that needs to be addressed today. With the technological revolution upon us, the rural population needs to be equipped to face the demands of the growing digital environment. This includes youngsters who are opting for jobs in the BFSI, IT and many other sectors. EduBridge, through its courses, works towards narrowing the gap, providing skills and courses that are accessible to all. By training youth with requisite technological skills and aligning them with the requirements of the corporate world, EduBridge increases the employability of each learner. EduBridge has mobilizers for every program that ensure that the resources and infrastructure employed is easily accessible to anywhere from anywhere in India. This means even if a learner is sitting in a remote village, they would be able to power through beyond 3-4 hours of a chosen course paying as little as under ₹20/- to access the same. Till date, Edubridge has been instrumental in training over 70% women in the tech sphere alone and successfully provided them with placements, ensuring women empowerment is a focus especially in remote parts of the country.
With well-trained instructors, their very own learning management system, and an instruction model that completely involves the learner in learning concepts, Edubridge is one of the top 10 Must-Watch Online Learning Providers in India. Their online portal is a one-stop solution to all career needs and provides tons of offerings and career-based resources to assist learners through their entire professional journey.
In the coming years, EduBridge plans to expand into providing more courses and skills for various age groups above 18. They want to cater to every youth, either freshers or working professionals, to ensure that they have the proper guidance and assistance to do well in their careers – something that is lacking in the traditional education system currently. EduBridge makes skill acquisition more accessible with highly subsidized rates, even in the most remote parts of the country. “Additionally, we look to expand internationally and cater to corporates overseas. We are looking forward to many more fruitful collaborations with prestigious organizations within the education sector at various levels so that the youth have access to everything under one roof,” shares Girish.