Thursday, October 30, 2025
NSN
NTTF_mini_web_banner
SGSU-banner-1
Didac India & Skills Combined NSN Banner-01
  • Home
  • Conversations
    • Industry Conversations
    • All Conversations
  • Perspectives
    • Education
    • Emerging Technologies
    • Government Initiatives
    • Industry
    • Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs)
    • NEP 2020
    • Skill Training
  • News
    • Latest Updates
    • News Archives
    • CSR and ESG in Skill Education
    • Skill Development e-Magazine
    • NSN PDF Newsletter Archives
  • Videos
    • Explainers
    • Panel Discussions
    • Student Stories
    • Video Conversations
  • Resources
    • Apprenticeship
    • e-Books
    • Resources
    • Success Stories
  • Events
    • Workshops
  • About us
    • Our Team
    • Our Clients
    • Our Services
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
NSN
  • Home
  • Industry Conversations
  • Perspectives
    • Education
    • Emerging Technologies
    • Government Initiatives
    • Industry
    • Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs)
    • NEP 2020
    • Skill Training
  • News
    • Latest Updates
    • News Archives
    • Skill Development e-Magazine
    • NSN PDF Newsletter Archives
  • Resources
    • Apprenticeship
    • E-books
    • Resources
    • Success Stories
  • Events
    • Workshops
  • About us
    • Our Team
    • Our Clients
    • Our Services
    • Privacy Policy
NSN
No Result
View All Result
Home Conversations

How Quest Alliance infuses learning facilitation with 21st century life skills for students and facilitators

Madhuri Dubey by Madhuri Dubey
November 14, 2017
Reading Time: 5 mins read
A A
1

Digital technologies have tremendous potential for scaling and sustaining the impact of various initiatives in education and skill development. We are yet to exploit them strategically in areas like primary and higher education, vocational training and teacher and trainer empowerment. This Skill Story about Quest Alliance is sure enlighten and convince you about how online technology can be seamlessly integrated in making learning playful, impactful and enriching both for the learners and facilitators. Let’s meet Aakash Sethi, Executive Director, Quest Alliance, to understand their vision, goals and the journey so far.

Focus on self-learning and acquiring life skills

inverted-commaOur focus has always been on creating conversations about how can you scale existing learning interventions for greater impact by leveraging educational technology more effectively and efficiently. We work with teachers, trainers and facilitators since they form the core of any initiative. And when we train and empower them, it would be easy to scale up various programs. The challenge is not only training them but ensuring that they retain what they learnt in a training program or a workshop. So we were exploring options to provide ongoing support, just-in-time learning etc.

quest_alliance_skill_developmentHence, in the initial phase our journey, we decided to build a digital toolkit for the trainer and facilitators who can learn these life skills themselves and then be able to deliver these skills to the learner. This was important to show that facilitator is not just the medium; he or she is a learner first. Hence, they need to learn and apply the concept on themselves, and when they reach a certain stage they can start delivering those skills to the learners. The toolkit has 45 hours of digital content with stories from existing facilitators in the form of structured e-learning.

I think the big piece that’s missing in both the education and skills sectors is the non-cognitive skills and life skills that are critical for a young person to succeed in the workplace as well as in meeting industry’s dynamic expectations. Aakash SethiAakash Sethi Quest Alliance

The toolkit has been quite impactful and preparing the facilitators with 21st century skills. The blended learning paradigm gave importance to self-learning and the facilitators had to let go of control if they had to facilitate blended learning. They need to look beyond their own practices that they are used to and move from being the sage on the stage to guide on the side. It can be downloaded and used for free. We have 300 hours digital content dealing with life skills, career guidance, entrepreneurship, digital literacy and communication.

Evolution of MasterCoach©

 Digitization of the content is only 1 -1/10th of the problem, the real thing is the value that gets created by the facilitator and how it gets transferred to the students. MasterCoach inducts facilitators into blended learning by making them go through learning module all by themselves. They learn about facilitation, pedagogy, building relationship with the learner and at the same time, they have access to tools to start creating those blended learning environments in their classrooms. It’s like double loop learning.

Our methodology doesn’t use the facilitator as a tool, we insist on treating them as individuals; there’s a significant shift that needs to go into their minds, making that shift from where they are to, where they need to be. Once they have a good view of the learning ecology, they can then manipulate things in desired ways to get results. Hence it’s critical to get them to become learners. That’s the mistake we are making in the skills space, same mistake was made in the education space and we have lessons from there that can be learnt and applied in the skills space. Analytics is another tool that can help the facilitator.

Establishing the industry connect

quest_alliace_master_coachFirst, the way we establish this seamless connect with the industry is very important. We need to emphasize on right things. Let’s remember the fact that the student is also seeking information on jobs and other opportunities. So, more than the industry coming to us, we encourage the students to do their own market research, talk to professionals in the real world and understand what opportunities exist and come back and map it using a mapping tool, explore jobs that match their knowledge and skills and that are close to their location and so on. That’s how we’ve defined our approach to industry engagement, there are ways to get mentors involved from the industry to give online classes and orientation.

The second point concerns the contribution of the industry to bridge the gap between skills and education divide. Many technology companies have come forward to make strategic investment in skills and education, by going beyond funding. Though many industries have started with CSR projects, they are not willing to engage strategically by influencing the curriculum, online learning design and strategy etc. The challenge is to get all of them together as a sector to create value.

Education and skills

We need to work on both ends, we cannot have skilling as a quick fix problem. As we know, all the problems related to education cannot be solved overnight and we need to start thinking 10 or 15 years ahead as opposed to thinking 10 months down the line. This is going to be a difficult journey, we may experience failure and we will have to reflect and learn. Today, education is hardly a space where apply basic principles of being human. It’s emerging as an inhuman system by perpetuating fear and stereotypes in the garb of passing the exams. This hardly leaves time for the child to enjoy childhood make learning a pleasurable activity.

quest_alliance_anandshalaAt the systemic level, there’s lot of trust deficit in the government system and it’s common for the parent to blame the teacher or the school if the student doesn’t perform well.

Anandshala©

Through Anandshala we are trying to provide the tools and changing the mindset of the educators. This is achieved in a scientific way without bias about caste, religion or gender by supporting children who need it most. The process involves creating enriching learning experience which could mean adding aspects of local art, local games, and being driven, students can showcase their talent in the school. The parents also participate in these conversations when they see their children’s performance.

We are trying to create a responsive and sensitive system in the rural areas. We are creating change agents inside the system who don’t just collect data to analyse the children’s performance, but engage with them meaningfully.

RelatedPosts

Aligning Skills, Education and Industry Needs in the BFSI Sector

Design Skills and Careers in the Creative Economy

Electronics Industry: Skills, Education, Jobs, Entrepreneurship Opportunities

Tags: Aakash Sethi Quest AllianceAnandShalaMasterCoachQuest Alliance self-learningskill development in school
WhatsApp Join our WhatsApp channel for more updates:
WhatsApp Join Now!
YouTube Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more updates:
YouTube Subscribe Now!
Previous Post

RSDC’s 2nd Award Ceremony celebrates skilling excellence in the Rubber Industry

Next Post

Youth4Jobs Foundation’s Divyanga Udyogothsavam celebrates the joy of job placements

Madhuri Dubey

Madhuri Dubey

Dr. Madhuri Dubey, Founder and Director of NSN, brings over 25 years of experience in training, curriculum design, and technology-enabled learning. Dedicated to vocational training and work-integrated education, her expertise lies in creating awareness and promoting skill development through applied learning, supported by in-depth research and analysis.

Next Post
rsz_youth4jobs_placement1

Youth4Jobs Foundation’s Divyanga Udyogothsavam celebrates the joy of job placements

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

No Result
View All Result
samplead3 samplead1

Subscribe to our e-Magazine

Trending Topics

skilling in India (131) National Skill Development Corporation - NSDC (127) skill development news India (124) skill development (114) Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship MSDE (101) vocational education (93) Apprenticeships (86) skill development news (79) skill development programs (70) Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF) (68)

Follow us

  • State-led Skill Development Initiatives Shaping India’s Future Workforce  India’s skill ecosystem continues to evolve with powerful new initiatives shaping employability, innovation, and industry collaboration across states.  From AI integration and apprenticeship-linked degrees to entrepreneurship drives and global partnerships; every initiative reflects a growing commitment to making India’s youth future-ready.  Here’s a quick look at some of the latest developments driving transformation in skill development, education, and work-integrated learning across the country.  Click here to read more: https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/weekly-newsbytes-from-nsn-on-skill-development-and-education-28th-october-2025/  Want your state’s skill development story featured? Reach out to us at NSN!  #skilldevelopment #SkillIndia #vocationaleducation
  • Bengaluru Skill Summit 2025: Innovation, Inclusion and Future-Ready Talent  The Bengaluru Skill Summit 2025 marks a major milestone in Karnataka’s journey toward a skills-first future. In this conversation, Dr. Madhuri Dubey, Founder and Director of NSN, spoke with Mr. N N Rao, Technical Advisor, Karnataka Skill Development Authority, about the state’s Skill Development Policy 2.0 and the practical steps being taken to turn policy into measurable progress.  Watch this conversation to explore:
 ✅ Karnataka’s Skill Development Policy 2.0
 ✅ Skills-first future and employability vision for 2030
 ✅ Inclusion, innovation, and impact in skill development
 ✅ Green and digital skills for sustainable growth
 ✅ How the upcoming summit will unite government, industry, academia, and youth  Click on the link in our story highlights to watch the full video!  #BengaluruSkillSummit2025 #SkillDevelopment #Workforce2030 #FutureSkills 
#IndustryAcademia #VocationalEducation
  • Bengaluru Skill Summit 2025: Karnataka’s Skill Vision for 2030  In this conversation, Dr. Madhuri Dubey, Founder and Director of National Skills Network (NSN), spoke with Dr. E. V. Ramana Reddy, Chairman of the Karnataka Skill Development Authority on the upcoming Bengaluru Skill Summit 2025.  The discussion focused on the vision, policy focus, and key initiatives shaping Karnataka’s skilling ecosystem.  You can watch the full video via link in our story/ bio  #BengaluruSkillSummit #SkillDevelopment #FutureOfWork #Innovation #Leadership #Workforce2030 #PartnershipsForProgress
  • We’re proud to join hands with the Bengaluru Skill Summit 2025 as an Association Partner! 🤝  Organised by the Government of Karnataka, through the Skill Development Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Department, Government of Karnataka (SDEL), Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC), Karnataka State Department of Agriculture (KSDA) and Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), the summit will bring together leaders from government, industry, academia, and youth to power the next wave of India’s skilling revolution.  This year’s summit will bring together leaders and changemakers shaping the future of India’s skilling, innovation, and workforce transformation.  🌐 3,000+ Participants
 🎤100+ Speakers
 🏢 100+ Exhibitors
 🤝25+ Media Partners  Be part of this transformative platform that unites government, industry, academia, and youth, driving India’s workforce vision for 2030.  📅 4–6 November 2025
 📍 The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru  Visit https://bengaluruskillsummit.com/ to know more.  Register Now: https://konfhub.com/bengaluru-skill-summit-2025  #BengaluruSkillSummit | #SkillDevelopment | #FutureOfWork | #Innovation | #Leadership | #Workforce2030 | #PartnershipsForProgress
  • Team NSN wishes you a very Happy Diwali! ✨️  #diwali #diwali2025
  • We’re proud to join hands with the Bengaluru Skill Summit 2025 as an Association Partner! 🤝  Organised by the Government of Karnataka , through the Skill Development Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Department, Government of Karnataka (SDEL), Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC), Karnataka State Department of Agriculture (KSDA) and Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), the summit will bring together leaders from government, industry, academia, and youth to power the next wave of India’s skilling revolution.  This year’s summit will bring together leaders and changemakers shaping the future of India’s skilling, innovation, and workforce transformation.  🌐 3,000+ Participants
 🎤100+ Speakers
 🏢 100+ Exhibitors
 🤝25+ Media Partners  Be part of this transformative platform that unites government, industry, academia, and youth, driving India’s workforce vision for 2030.  📅 4–6 November 2025
 📍 The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru  Visit https://bengaluruskillsummit.com/  to know more.  Register Now: https://konfhub.com/bengaluru-skill-summit-2025  #BengaluruSkillSummit #SkillDevelopment #FutureOfWork #Innovation #Leadership  #Workforce2030 #PartnershipsForProgress
  • We are excited to partner with Bengaluru Skill Summit as the Association Partner for the Bengaluru Skill Summit 2025.  We look forward to contributing to this impactful platform that brings together government, industry, and academia to advance India’s skill development and workforce transformation.  Let’s make this summit a milestone for the skilling ecosystem!  📅 4–6 November 2025 | The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru  #BengaluruSkillSummit2025 #SkillsForFuture #SkillingIndia #SkillDevelopment
  • India’s electronics industry is rapidly emerging as a global hub for innovation, manufacturing, and design.  With advances in semiconductors, embedded systems, IoT, and automation, the demand for skilled professionals has never been higher.  From production and testing to chip design and system integration, this sector is creating diverse career opportunities for youth and professionals across all levels.  At the heart of this growth is skilling; empowering a workforce that’s ready for future technologies and capable of driving innovation across industries.  Explore how India’s electronics ecosystem is evolving through skills, education, and entrepreneurship.  #ElectronicsIndustry #SkillDevelopment #Semiconductors #STEMEducation
  • Myth vs Fact – India’s Textile Industry  India’s textile industry is evolving beyond traditional spinning and weaving. 
Today, technical textiles, from Meditech to Sportstech, are creating new opportunities that demand advanced skills in CAD design, machine operation, and material science.  It’s time to move past the myths and recognise textiles as a future-ready, skill-driven industry.  Watch the full interview on our YouTube channel!  #Textile #textileindustry #mythvsfacts

About us

National Skills Network (NSN) captures and shares the positive impact of various training, skill development and vocational education initiatives in India.

To know more about Our Team: Click here

Address

NSN Digital Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
CIN: U74999TG2020PTC147299
MSME: UDYAM-TS-09-0086473
Gachibowli, Hyderabad – 500032

Email us: contact@nationalskillsnetwork.com

Important Links

  • Conversations
  • Perspectives
  • News
  • Skill Development e-Magazine
  • Resources
  • Our Team
  • Our Clients
  • Partner with us
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Content Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy

© National Skills Network Content licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0. Commercial use requires permission.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Conversations
    • Industry Conversations
    • All Conversations
  • Perspectives
    • Education
    • Emerging Technologies
    • Government Initiatives
    • Industry
    • Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs)
    • NEP 2020
    • Skill Training
  • News
    • Latest Updates
    • News Archives
    • CSR and ESG in Skill Education
    • Skill Development e-Magazine
    • NSN PDF Newsletter Archives
  • Videos
    • Explainers
    • Panel Discussions
    • Student Stories
    • Video Conversations
  • Resources
    • Apprenticeship
    • e-Books
    • Resources
    • Success Stories
  • Events
    • Workshops
  • About us
    • Our Team
    • Our Clients
    • Our Services
    • Privacy Policy

© National Skills Network Content licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0. Commercial use requires permission.