Our focus is on critical thinking and creativity to enhance employment skills in students, says Pearl AcademyHOD

In a conversation with Shiksha.com, HOD of Styling and Beauty department Shalini Gupta at Pearl Academy talks about the integration of traditional teaching resources with modern techniques and latest technology at the institute. She elaborates the importance of updating curriculum design based on industry requirements regularly to impart quality education to the students. Shalini holds a degree in Bachelor in Design from National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). She has experience of successfully running a design firm for 15 years which helps her to keep students updated with on-ground industry practices.

Read the excerpts of the interview below:

Q: What is the difference between the teaching methodology in your institute when compared with other similar institutes?

A: Pearl Academy, with a legacy of 27 years in design education, has always placed the students at the center of every initiative and decision. We follow a dynamic curriculum that is updated almost every year to ensure that our students are ahead of the curve and future-ready. We as teachers are encouraged to conduct research not only in the field of fashion and design but also in the field of vocational, adult and online education. In the current scenario, with limited mobility, we have been one of the first institutes in India to take all our teaching online within a matter of days.

Q: How are you preparing your students to be industry-ready?

A: We live in a VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) world. At Pearl Academy, our focus is on critical thinking and creativity, which are important skills for employment in any field today. We encourage this in students through class discussions, brainstorming sessions, one-on-one mentoring and industry lead juries. This allows them to examine their place in the world objectively and subjectively. Empathy and sensitivity play an important role in developing these core skills. Using the classroom environment to encourage social engagement and cultural appreciation we foster these core skills from day one. We also facilitate multiple short terms and long-term industry projects and internships to ensure students know what to expect before they formally join the industry.

Q: What qualities do your students have which other college students lack?

A: As a result of open discussions, a culture of inclusivity and frequent industry interface, the students of Pearl Academy tend to have very well developed People Skills, another important employability or entrepreneurial requirement. Also, living in the digital age, sometimes referred to as the fourth industrial revolution, we see things change and evolve almost every day. Using the ‘what if’ scenario we encourage our students to question and asses, which builds Mental Elasticity and Complex Problem Solving capabilities. Today and going forward, these skills and attitudes allow our students to be agile to uncertainty and change.

Q: Do you think the curriculum of the courses taught in your institute fits the requirement of the industry?

A: The curriculum at Pearl Academy is designed in collaboration with the industry. We present our curriculum to industry stakeholders at our academic board meetings and consequently, their feedback is incorporated before the curriculum is rolled out. We have industry leaders to interact with students as mentors and jury members through the duration of the student’s academic journey. We seek feedback from industry employers during and after student internships and also post-employment. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum and its openness, we are able to instantly incorporate any feedback we find relevant.

Q: Is your college receptive to innovation, technology, science and entrepreneurship?

A: As mentioned above, Pearl Academy is at the forefront of integrating innovation and technology into all our teaching methods and learning outcomes. From Artificial Intelligence to the Internet of Things, UI UX and animation, our students have access to the most current technology. However, the core of our teaching is ‘ideas’. Technology changes faster than anyone can master it but ideas fuel the creation of new technology. Using speculative design, empathy and critical thinking, our students are able to propose new social, and entrepreneurial ecosystems, on and offline.