Plans to Extend WisePro to Over 5000 Students by the End of Fy14
Bangalore - September 2, 2013:
Wipro Ltd. (NYSE:WIT), a leading global Information Technology, Consulting and Outsourcing company today announced the launch of a nation-wide initiative, the Wipro Integrated Skill Enhancement Program (WISEPro) to impart communication and soft skills training to undergraduate students, predominantly from non-engineering colleges in India, with the aim of improving their employability in the Information Technology, Business Process Management (BPM), as well as other services sectors.
The pilot program of the WISEPro initiative has been introduced to the student community at Kolkata-based Techno India Group. Wipro plans to extend this program nationally to over 5000 students by the end of FY14 and especially, make in-roads into smaller centres in India, besides the large cities.
Students who successfully complete the program will be awarded a certification, post an assessment by Wipro. The certification will enable the candidates to be eligible for a placement at Wipro, if they are able to successfully clear one round of interviews as opposed to 3 or 4 levels of screening usually followed while recruiting fresh graduates at the company.
The 60-hour program consists of technology backed modules in a self paced format, that give the students the flexibility to work through the modules over a period of 3 months, along-side their core graduation course. This self-learning program consists of a 'Business Communication Skills' module provided by renowned training organization, TaraSpan Solutions Private Ltd. and a 'Corporate Readiness' module that is proprietary to Wipro. In addition to the e-learning modules, the program has periodic classroom connect programs, wherein the students can interact with trainers. The IT-ITES Sector Skills Council (SSC), NASSCOM has provided valuable guidance in designing the curriculum and training methodology of the program.
According to Dr. Sandhya Chintala, Executive Director, Sector Skills Council, NASSCOM "Enhancing employability to role-specific requirements in the IT, BPM and other services sector is a step in the right direction. It is imperative that companies, academic institutions and the government work closely towards improving the employability of young people in India and help to scale up a readily deployable talent pool. The aim is to align the WISEPro program with the SSC NASSCOM guidelines outlined for CRM job roles. We are glad that an organization of Wipro's stature has taken the lead in moving towards the adoption of published National Occupational Standards (NOS) for Job Roles / Qualification Packs (QPs) and we, at SSC NASSCOM, are glad to support and guide them in this endeavor."
Subhasish Biswas, Head – Business Excellence, Wipro BPO (A Division of Wipro Ltd.) said, "This initiative is an employability enhancement program that will endeavour to train students for the services sector where high levels of communication and presentation skills are required, in addition to basic domain knowledge. It aims to improve the soft-skill based competencies, foster professional skills and thereby, enhance the employability of youth for various service sector domains. We are of the opinion that considering the quality of the output being created, over a period of time, this certification will get recognition in several industries, besides the IT and BPM industries."
Prof. (Dr.) Pritimoy Bhattacharya, Group Director, Techno India Group, said, "The Techno India Group is proud to provide a platform for Wipro to launch this program. This unique initiative is the need of the hour and will go a long way in making our youth employable. We are very confident that our students will leverage this opportunity well and aspire to be part of this journey of self-development."
About Wipro Ltd.
Wipro Ltd. (NYSE:WIT) is a leading Information Technology, Consulting and Outsourcing company that delivers solutions to enable its clients do business better. Wipro delivers winning business outcomes through its deep industry experience and a 360 degree view of "Business through Technology" - helping clients create successful and adaptive businesses. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, a practitioner's approach to delivering innovation, and an organization wide commitment to sustainability, Wipro has a workforce of 140,000 serving clients across 57 countries. For more information, please visit www.wipro.com.
Wipro Media Contacts:
Vipin Nair
Wipro Limited
+91 80 39916260
vipin.nair1@wipro.com
Subhashini Pattabhiraman
Wipro Limited
+91 80 39916558
subhashini.pattabhiraman@wipro.com
Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements
Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf.
