Career Development Centre (CDC)

Career Development Centres or CDCs have been set up mainly for children from Steria supported schools, who may be unable to pursue a degree course in college, because of their family’s financial status as well as being unable to get admission to a suitable degree course, yet would like to get trained for a decent job and support their families.

Career Development Centres are a partnership between Steria India CSR and NIIT Affirmative Action. These centres provided short term certified courses, typically of 3 to 6 months duration, in basic IT skills, accounting skills, language skills and other soft skills required for entry level jobs in India’s booming hospitality and retail sectors. These CDCs, as they are called, are set up with funds provided by Steria India CSR, while the course materials, as well as the faculty are provided by NIIT. Placement assistance is also provided to the candidates at the end of the course. Course fees for children of Steria supported schools are paid for by Steria India CSR, upfront, and these children are expected to pay back the fees, in small amounts, after they are placed and start earning for themselves. The CDCs are also open to other youngsters of the community. More details on Career Development Centres available at http://www.niitaffirmativeaction.com/

In 2010, the first CDC was set up in partnership with NIIT and Noida Lok Manch (our NGO partner in Noida), within the premises of Noida Library (another Steria supported CSR project). By the end of December 2010, 14 students were placed in jobs in various retail outlets in Noida.