WHAT IS CDP?

Edu-GIRLS helps girls transform their lives and those of the community around them by providing access to quality education and by guiding them towards achieving financial independence through meaningful careers. The Career Development Program (CDP), developed with Vimukti Girls School (VGS) in Jaipur, has been the key instrument for achieving this objective.

The CDP helps identify and assess the skills and aptitudes of the girls and maps them to career choices by:

Exposing girls from class IX onwards to identified career opportunities that are viewed to be in high demand through workshops and lectures held by industry experts from different fields.

  • Identifying interests, aptitudes and capabilities using inputs from their Career Counselor and feedback from teachers to help guide career choices.

  • Helping girls strengthen their feelings of self-worth by conversations with an image consultant and psychologist

  • Getting the buy-in from the girls’ parents for their chosen career path which could involve higher education or vocational training.

SELECT JOB PLACEMENTS TO DATE

 

Next, the girls are supported in the pursuit of their career goals:

Scholarships help meet the costs of coaching, entrance tests, and course fees.

  • Aid is also provided to meet transport and to other essential costs. 

  • A library has been created to make available books and course material. 

  • Monthly meetups are held where girls can share their experience with new students and provide feedback to educators to improve the program.

The results have been very encouraging:

  • Since its launch in 2019, 121 girls have benefited from CDP. As on date, 73 girls have either completed or are enrolled in college for higher studies in subjects like Arts, Commerce, Computer Applications, Education, and Management.

  • Further, 46 girls are enrolled in or have completed vocational programs in fields such as Nursery Teaching, Fashion Design, Beauty Culture, Baking and Culinary Arts, and Event, Hotel and Office Management while 7 are receiving coaching for medical entrance.

  • Internships have now been added to the CDP so that girls can get hands-on experience in the industry or profession of their interest.

  • Overall, we are proud that since 2021, 31 girls have already been placed in jobs and are gainfully employed.

  • CDP has now been successfully implemented in our Bengaluru school where one girl is supplying her designs to a fashion label, one is employed in an office; 6 are pursuing graduate degrees in commerce and one is enrolled in coaching or medical school.

EXCITING NEW CAREERS BY 2024 BATCH

What’s coming next…

Inspired by the success of the pilot, Edu-GIRLS is introducing the CDP Program in other schools. CDP coordinators have been appointed and regularly share experiences, a guidance manual has been prepared and the girls are being introduced to career conversations.