EnglishScore and FICCI collaborate to help students to certify their English proficiency. A part of FICCI’s employability programme ENCOURAGE, EnglishScore provided students with a certificate to prove their English skills.
How do we equip students for the workforce in the midst of a pandemic?
2020 was a year that changed how a lot of industries work, with remote working and learning becoming a necessity. This pivot to a digital-first world particularly impacted young people who were looking to enter the workforce. So, to help students prepare for this new digital reality, we partnered with The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry to allow students to showcase their English proficiency.
FICCI is the voice of India’s business and industry, a non-government, not-for-profit organisation. Working with 250,000 member organisations, FICCI helps expand business opportunities both in domestic and foreign markets. Their vision is to implement sustainable development across India’s business realm.
We collaborated with FICCI on their ENCOURAGE (Employer Networks for Creating Opportunities and Uniting Resourceful Alliances for Gainful Employment) programme implemented by the FICCI Centre of Excellence for Career Counselling (COECC).
The programme had a three-step process:
- Know Your Career (KYC) webinar: Understand career opportunities by bringing awareness about emerging job roles in industries.
- STEP-UP: Learn employability skills with online workshops designed to empower students.
- WoW Experience: An introduction to the world of work (WoW) with a platform to interact with organisations and employers via career fairs, internship placements drive and Interviews.
EnglishScore supported FICCI throughout the STEP-UP module which focused on employability enhancement and comprised of a series of online workshops. The remote scheme aimed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to get a job. They used EnglishScore to help students prove their English level by offering official EnglishScore certificates verified by the British Council. As a result, students were able to add these to their CVs, applications and LinkedIn profiles.
The workshops aimed to improve students’ chances of future employability and were free of charge, resulting in over 20,000 young people taking part. The programme aimed to give students a better understanding of emerging industries. Workshops and online classes helped students prepare for the professional world, with support including tips for writing a good CV and interviewing remotely. Finally, FICCI collaborated with companies looking to hire graduates, providing internship and entry-level placements.
How was EnglishScore used?
In the second phase of the scheme, students were introduced to the EnglishScore test. Our free test enabled them to get an accurate assessment of their English level remotely. Using the app on any mobile device, students were able to take the test and immediately understand their English level.
EnglishScore provided over 4,500 students with certificates (valued at $45,000USD). Students were then able to prove their English competency to employers, with a certificate accredited and endorsed by the British Council and FICCI.
Students were also encouraged to share their scores on their LinkedIn profiles, CVs and job applications. With over 85% of students scoring a B1 or above on the CEFR scale, they were able to provide future employers with accurate information about their impressive English skills. Find out more about what the scores mean here.
What was the outcome?
Over 5000 online interviews were conducted as a result of the scheme, 600 students being involved in final interviews with organisations like Amazon, Finolex, Bajaj Capital, DCM Shriram and many more. Workshops led by FICCI, helped students prepare for all points of the process, looking at how to interview well and how to feel confident while interviewing.
“The EnglishScore test was a great tool to help our students understand the English skill level required for job entry, especially as we transitioned into doing remote workshops. The certificate really boosted our students’ CVs, and they were able to go into interviews feeling confident about their abilities. We hope to work with EnglishScore more in the future!”
– Abhilash Mohapatra, Centre Manager FICCI
As industries around the world continue to adapt to a combination of remote and in-person work environments, students are among those most capable of understanding a new way of working. EnglishScore looks to give students around the world the ability to access the essential tools that they need.