EdTech space in India is growing rapidly and the industry is hypercompetitive. TimesPro’s work has been unconventional in the education technology industry.
In recognition of Times Professional Learning’s (TPL) TimesPro’s technology-enabled delivery for multiple courses across multiple centers; they were awarded the “Best B2C EdTech Company Of The Year” at the EdTechReview Awards Ceremony 2018.
In a conversation with them we tried to bring some interesting facts and stats that share their journey, challenges and strategies that helped them be where they are now. Below is an excerpt of the same that you’d be interested in.
1. What is TimesPro’s core value proposition? What problem are you solving and for whom?
We, at Times Professional Learning (TPL), have set ourselves the vision to fulfill the aspirations of millions of learners, by making excellence accessible, through learner-centric innovations and global collaborations. The journey began in 2013 with an institute offering banking programs for graduates at our state-of-the-art learning centers across India. Today, TPL is a professional skilling powerhouse with significant presence in multiple market segments including MBA, Executive Education, Corporate Training and Retail Education; TPL offers professional training to every age and stage of learner across Banking Management, Digital Marketing, Data Science, Media & Entertainment and ERP.
2. What has been the market response till now? What parts of the world are you planning to expand or market in the near future? What kind of partners are you looking for?
Today, TPL boasts of an enviable track record of career support to our learners. After successfully completing the programs, over 8000 of our students have found placement and recognition at some of the most renowned institutions in India and the world.
TPL aims to create a talent pool that can execute global-scale turnkey projects and assignments with confidence and expertise. To further its agenda of offering world-class executive education in India, TPL has collaborated with intellectual capital across India and the globe, partnering with top B-schools and institutions. Its alliances with world-class educational giants such as IIM Calcutta, IIM Kozhikode, SPJIMR and XLRI in India and global institutions, such as INSEAD and Columbia University, have cemented TPL’s credentials to make world-class education accessible.
3. Where do you see your skill development programs in 12 or 18 months from now?
The Times Group, India’s oldest, largest and most respected media conglomerate, is alive to the massive skilling challenge. As our mission is “ENABLE ONE MILLION LEARNERS’ ASPIRATION THROUGH EDUCATION BY 2022”, we aim to reach every state through our skill development programs and provide the best industry training backed by hands-on experience with on-the-job training and placement with the best companies.
4. What are your views about the growth of the Education Technology industry in India?
With the Indian education system moving fast towards online learning, technology is a great way to bridge the quality, affordability and accessibility gap in education. Organizational needs are constantly changing and so must the skills. Unemployment is high because formal education does not prepare students for the requirements of jobs out there. Our courses serve as a link between education and the working world. They teach job-specific skills designed to enable a student’s advancement in any career field. Professional courses place more emphasis on the practical and the underpinning knowledge required to use these skills in their future career. At TimesPro, our objective is to create a large pool of industry-ready talent, who would be offered challenging career opportunities in the sector.
5. Tell us about your team, who do you have supporting you? How did this start? What inspired the need for something like TimesPro in Indian EdTech space?
India is experiencing an exciting phase of growth and unprecedented development since the last decade. Thanks to the strong macroeconomic fundamentals, today we are one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Coupled with India’s young demographic profile, rising literacy rate and leaps in technology, we are at the cusp of exponential growth in the coming years.
Being a part of the world’s oldest and biggest media conglomerate, Bennett, Coleman Company Limited (BCCL), provides TPL with immense market reach potential and all-important credibility. TPL’s vision has been to fulfill aspirations of millions of learners across geographies, by making excellence accessible through learner-centric innovations and global collaborations.
TPL was founded in 2013 and is guided constantly by its core values – Speed with Execution Excellence, Learner Centricity, Integrity, Culture of Innovation and Enduring Engagement – TPL strives while its alumni thrives.
6. Who would you call your competitors? And what differentiates you from them?
Today, TPL has an impeccable presence in the arena of professional and continuing education. So far, we have trained over 10000 graduates and helped them secure employment opportunities.
With co-creation and innovation as constant advocacy anchors, TPL is committed towards nurturing and enriching India’s human capital that is adequately equipped to execute global-scale turnkey projects and assignments with appropriate skill-will metrics. TPL offers various education programs at its state-of-the-art learning centres across India guided by experienced faculty, to hone skills across diverse verticals such as BFSI, Digital Marketing, Data Sciences and Media & Entertainment. To deliver multiple product offerings based on varied learner demographics, the entry-level programs are offered under the aegis of TimesPro and the Executive Education programs are offered through TSW.
7. How would you use being the recipient of this award to influence other edtech stakeholders in the industry and how would it impact your company in the industry?
While this award is a definitive testimony to TPL’s technology-led academic delivery; it has strengthened our conviction for learner-centric delivery. TPL staunchly advocates effective learning rather than just efficient delivery. From that standpoint, this award amplifies our conviction to continue to invest in learner-centric technologies. Given the learning styles of our learner segments’ geographic spread and aspiration levels, technology helps us to extend the required career support through their career cycle. As TPL stands out in its commitment to learner-centric delivery technology, the stakeholders can learn from its experience by imbibing all the best practices.
