Career guidance centre at Karamana to open in May

T'puram: Career Development Centre (CDC) at Karamana, under the labour department, is set to become operational in May, offering a major boost to career guidance and skill development initiatives for students and job seekers. The Rs 5-crore facility, constructed within Karamana school compound near Karamana bridge, has been completed and is currently in its final stages of readiness. Officials said the centre is expected to benefit thousands of students in the city by providing structured guidance on higher education, employment opportunities and career planning. The inauguration was done last week. "The infrastructure is fully ready, and only final arrangements are pending. We are targeting to open the centre for public use in May," said an official closely associated with the project. The centre will offer a wide range of services, including career counselling, psychometric assessments and coaching for competitive examinations. It will also host sessions by expert advisors to help students identify suitable career paths based on aptitude and interests. According to sources in labour department, CDCs are designed as comprehensive hubs that provide "authentic solutions for all kinds of career issues" and enhance employability through scientific guidance tools and training programmes. The Karamana facility will be equipped with modern amenities such as a digital library, reading rooms, an online study studio, a computer lab, a seminar hall and training rooms. These features are aimed at creating a learning environment combining traditional and technology-driven resources. Kerala's CDC model follows international practices and focuses on career guidance, skill development, aptitude testing and pre-interview training. The initiative was first launched on a pilot basis at Perambra, Kozhikode, where the centre provides services free of cost. Encouraged by the success of Perambra model, state has been expanding such centres to other regions to address gaps in career awareness among students and improve employability outcomes.