Apart from domain knowledge, ability to communicate well is perhaps the key for finding the right jobs. That’s where facility with English language plays a big role. MBAUniversere.com and its group print publication ‘M NOW Magazine’ spoke to Ganesh Ram V., a pioneer in the area and Founder of India’s largest English-training company Veta, about how students can improve their job prospects.
Q&A with Ganesh Ram V., MD, Veta
Q: Veta, earlier known as Vivekananda Institute, was started twenty-seven years ago. What are the milestones in the journey of brand Veta?
A: We are the pioneers in teaching spoken English on the Distance Education mode. We were the first to organize contact classes in spoken English in every district headquarters in Tamil Nadu. We then, in 1995, took the franchising route establishing direct training classes in several states in India. Today we have 200 centres in 105 cities with our International centre at Singapore. We have trained more than 2.1 million people in communicative skills in English. We are still counting the number of people who seek our help. We have also done several hundred projects for the corporate sector.
Q: How do you see the growth and importance of English language?
A: English is the language of business. It was business people who brought this language into our country—The East India Company. With Indian commerce and trade going global, it is needless to say that English has become essential. The language is a passport to wealth, power and influence. The world of IT, Science and Technology, working abroad, studying overseas, blogging, business, banking, why even art and fashion—the language spoken is English.
Q: In India, Employability is the major issue. What are the various issues that lead to low employability of graduates?
A: The issue is obvious—lack of communicative skills in English. General awareness and soft skills come next.
Q: What role can English play in better education of young Indians?
A: A major role! It empowers them to perform better, it helps them stand shoulder to shoulder with any American or Briton professionally. It helps them to keep abreast of things in a rapidly changing world.
Q: What role can English language skills play in improving job prospects for youth?
A: Many a time, graduates who have sound knowledge are unable to get jobs due to lack of communication skills. No English, no jobs. Whether it is the hospitality industry or the IT sector, it is English language skills they are asking for. Look at the Wanted columns in the newspapers—it invariably reads ‘must be fluent at English’!
Q: According to your research, what percentage of our graduates is conversant with spoken English?
A: I am sorry to say it is just about 8 to 10 %.
Q: How can these graduates improve their language and communication skills?
A: They require professional help for it involves first diagnosing what really is their problem. Is it lack of knowledge of grammar and usage? Is it lack of clarity of thought? Is it lack of general information? Or is it because these people have had no occasion to use the language? And then what are the remedial measures? How long would it take? From where would you take off the training programme? The factors are many.
Q: What role can Veta play? What are your programme offerings?
A: Veta is already playing a major role. Two million people on the roll is not a mean thing. Our R&D is constantly working on effective training inputs—inputs that can impart communicative skills in English as fast as possible. We have a variety of programmes that cater to various types of learners—professionals, businesspeople, students, school children, even homemakers.
Q: Finally, what is your message to the youth of India who want to plan their careers?
A: The world is a tough place and it is the tough who survive. Know your strengths but don’t be complacent if you want to stay in a challenging workplace. Work on your shortcomings. Just possessing a degree or diploma is not enough. You’ve got to be smart and should know the world you live in. Knowledge and self awareness make you confident. When you are confident, the world is yours.
