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the need for career counselling, especially for students in government schools who had no access to it," says Chethana who started ConnectSpark in February 2024 to provide career guidance. Till now, she and her team have helped over 300 students across five states.

Lack of awareness

Interestingly, more than 90 percent students are familiar with only seven career paths, despite the existence of over 700 diverse career options. "It's plain lack of awareness and communication which often leads to higher dropout rates. In our schools, we get constant guidance from career counsellors who inform us about the various options available but there is no support system for students in government schools," says the 16-year-old Chethana, adding that for most students the only perceived options are medical or engineering. "We want them to consider more career options, and eventually make a choice that fits them best."

Such students are often unaware of the various career options available to them, leading to confusion about their future path. In most cases, they succumb to their parents' preferences due to this uncertainty. "Since they come from a humble background, financial limitation influences their career choice. Moreover, they want to take up a career that provides stability and at the same time doesn't put a strain on family's finances," says Chethana.

Reaching out to govt schools via NGOs

The idea that germinated from a discussion with her house help's daughter soon found resonance among other students from similar backgrounds. With the support of her aunt, a principal at a government school in Hyderabad, she began working on the idea of career counselling sessions for such students. In a short span, she reached out to her network of students across the country asking for their inputs, and found that the gap exists across the spectrum and the need to address it. "We found that the absence of career counselling sessions is common in many states, and the students often feel lost at the crossroads of their career." This pushed Chethana and her friend Venella to organise their first online career counselling session with Class 10 students of a government school in Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh, with the help of a nonprofit Aarti Home.

Their debut proved to be a success as many students participated, discussing their career aspirations and expressing their fears and uncertainties. Chethana found that most were unaware of the options and the pathways available to them. "I was surprised to hear a girl's desire to become a teacher but she believed that sitting for medical entrance exams was the only way to lead to her career path. I realised the issue runs much deeper, and students were in urgent need of career counselling," says Chethana, who started reaching out to more schools through nonprofits. The subsequent interactions revolved around students' goals, aspirations and the various career options available through universities and entrance exams.

Expanding reach through teacher training

In no time, the queries starting pouring in large numbers from the five states where ConnectSpark operates - Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Assam and Maharashtra - which made it difficult for the team of eight members to individually facilitate sessions with students. Hence, they shifted their focus to training teachers in career counselling to keep the sessions running with the high volume of students. To develop an effective curriculum, Chethana sought assistance from her school counsellor and conducted extensive research before running the curriculum with one of the teachers at Aarti Home. "Instead of the traditional approach of creating modules and worksheets, we opted for a different method," Chethana explains, adding, "After providing teachers with a briefing, we give them two days to implement the process in their classrooms. Subsequently, we address each student's individual needs and challenges." The teenager, along with other career counsellors, has trained 12 teachers so far from five organisations, including Aasra Trust and Pehchaan The Street School. With the development of a website underway, Chethana is confident that the platform will speed up the process of connecting students with career counsellors.

A positive impact

Till now, ConnectSpark has already partnered with six nonprofits across seven states but it wasn't an easy journey for Chethana, for whom her age turned out to be her biggest barrier. "Being an 11th grader, people often doubted my capabilities because of my age and even encouraged me to solely focus on studies," says the teenager, who was determined to win the confidence of the organisations through perseverance and clarity. "I had to step up and learn to manage a team. There were moments of self-doubt and mistakes but each challenge was a valuable learning experience. On the way, I also found people who believed in my abilities and collaborated with us," says the girl, who is eyeing Ivy Leagues and especially Liberal Arts curriculum in the US as her future path.

Encouraging students to follow their dreams, Chethana advises them to avoid overthinking. "Focus on the process instead of the outcome, and the opportunities will naturally come to you," says the girl who now wants to expand her reach to more students nationwide through Connect Spark. "I want to create an impact with my work, and it's already happening," she signs off.

• Follow Chethana Dharavath on LinkedIn