Verizon India, Nirmaan launch Mobile Career Counselling Lab

Verizon India, an IT & Technology GCC (Global Capability Centre), in collaboration with Nirmaan Organization, a Hyderabad-based NGO, initiated a first-of-its-kind initiative in Telangana, equipped with digital infrastructure and technology-based applications to provide end-to-end counselling support to students in rural India.

In Karnataka, a similar Mobile Career Counselling Lab (MCL) has been in operation for over a year and has already assisted over 10,700 students. The MCL van was flagged off today at a Government School in Hyderabad by Mr. Vijayaraman Subramanian, Vice President & Managing Director, Verizon India, and other senior management team members from Verizon India, as well as key representatives from Nirmaan Organization, including Mr. Mayur Patnala, Founder & CEO, Ms. Uma Kesani, Co-CEO, Ms Anuradha Pulla, COO, Mr. Nikhil Gampa,

The mobile counselling lab includes personal and telecounselling services, psychometric tests, technological infrastructure, and mobile applications to help aspirants self-explore and chart a course for a brighter future. It also provides helpline services, which aspirants can use to get any additional clarifications they may need about their career options. Starting in Hyderabad, this ‘Career Counselling on Wheels’ initiative will conduct 150-200 sessions in its first year in the region, reaching out to over 10,000 students and youth in Telangana’s Adilabad, Asifabad, Mancherial, Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Kothagudem, Khammam, Nalgonda, and Nagarkurnool districts. Following that, the MCL initiative will be expanded to other districts, across Southern states, and eventually to all of the United States.

Verizon India

“At Verizon, we are committed to creating meaningful impact in the communities we operate in, and are thrilled to partner with Nirmaan to launch this unique initiative in Telangana,” said Mr. Vijayaraman Subramanian, Vice President & Managing Director, Verizon India. We believe that by bridging the digital divide for students and empowering youth in rural areas, we can unlock tremendous potential and contribute to a brighter future for all. We are honored to bring our experience and expertise to this project, which builds on the success of a similar initiative we launched in Karnataka a few years ago, which impacted the lives of over 10,700 youth. We are excited to work with Nirmaan to make a real difference in the lives of young people.

The launch of the Mobile Career Counselling Lab reaffirms our commitment to using technology to effect positive change.”

Mr. Mayur Patnala, CEO of Nirmaan Organization, stated, “We thank Verizon India for this continued support in expanding the Mobile Career Counselling Lab to Telangana after supporting us in Karnataka.” This collaboration will enable us to expand the MCL program into several remote districts. Our goal is to assist these students in obtaining appropriate information and guidance on a variety of career-related topics. Counseling sessions will be led by well-trained career counsellors who will be present in the lab at all times.

Due to a lack of internet penetration in rural India’s interiors, many students from these areas lack access to information or relevant platforms for guidance on how to pursue further education or career opportunities. The results of a need assessment survey conducted by the Nirmaan Organization revealed some key findings such as low career aspirations and a lack of awareness among these young people, with nearly 77% of respondents making random decisions because there was no one to guide them, many knowing only about 5 or less than 5 career options, and the majority being unaware of a single scholarship and unable to apply for any. This unmet need inspired the concept of the mobile career.