MUSCAT, Oman, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Introducing CSL (Cloud Smart Learning), an e-platform for vocational and professional training:
Under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Dr Fahad bin Al Julanda Al Said, assistant secretary general for promotion Innovation and Development at the Research Council, the CSL (Cloud Smart Learning), which is the first establishment in the world to build a fully integrated e-platform for vocational and professional training and the internationally approved specialized vocational certifications, was inaugurated at The Intercontinental, Muscat. Abbass Al Hemaid al Lawati, the innovator and founder of the first-of-its-kind establishment explained that the core idea aims to bridge the gap at the national and domestic job markets through building connections between job searchers and labor market requirements of qualified manpower. "CSL gives those who like to enhance their skills and knowledge an opportunity to join specialized high-end vocational training courses which will be internationally credited and under the supervision of global teams with the highest level of qualifications. The attendants will be granted graduation certifications approved from international establishments. All the above will be fully available online via an advanced e-portal according to a program that fits the financial, work and life circumstances of the students. This great achievement is a symbol for the innovation, creation and efficiency of the Omani youth, because the whole project is built by Omani minds that were educated in Oman and inspired by HM Sultan Qaboos bin Said who attached great attention to the importance of science, education and knowledge," al Lawati said.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160714/389552 )
New concept for time and place
According to CSL founder, the global job market gives priority to the vocational qualification and not the academic one; because the first supports the manpower ability to interact with job requirements. "We, all, know that most of the employees and job seekers wish to attain vocational and professional courses but at the same time they have obstacles, in terms of work-life balance, that hinder them. So, CSL was created, in first place, to reduce time and place and remove all these obstacles, because all phases are online, from filling applications to doing tests and exams. In addition to that its accessible from any smart device.
Low cost
Speaking on the costs, al Lawati affirmed that the program fees are very low- thanks to the flexible model adopted and the high operating efficiency- because the fact that the whole program is on line. For example, according to al Lawati, the fees for the first diploma will be available by CSL are about RO1000. Moreover, the fees can be scheduled according to the units taught. To make thing easier to the students, there will be a package of facilitations for each unit; so that, the student can tailor his need according to his requirements and budget.
Registration steps
"Studying with CSL starts with registration where any student can log into our official website, from anywhere in the world, and register his name any time throughout the year. This step requires choosing courses according to the qualification obtained by the student. The next step is an online video conference between the student and one of our experts who gives to the student whatever information required about the courses. Then, CSL system enlists the applicant name in a group of students from many places in the world who picked up the same courses and level. Of course, payment is online", said al Lawati.
Interactive tuition
After registration is done successfully, studying starts through interactive e-content; and not abstract themes as it has used to be with the traditional methods of learning. CSL has changed the courses into e-content in an innovative way that is unprecedented all over the world. Thus, any person can join studying from anywhere and anytime.
Live lectures
Study program includes live lectures to be delivered on line by one of CSL experts; from anywhere in the world and each student of the same group can attend the lectures while sitting at his own country. Each individual student has the right to "buy" additional one-to-one sessions with the trainer.
On line assessment in English and Arabic
Al Lawati explained that all tests- assessment processes- throughout the program are on line, based on strict measures to have quality control in place; for example, the program chooses automatically random samples of 30% of researches submitted by the student. These samples will be discussed by the expert trainer to make sure that the student is the one who did the research by himself. In case of graduation projects (researches), the work is submitted to the trainers to check it for the assessment. If the student failed to obtain the mark that qualifies him to pass, the trainer send him a report showing the benchmarks the student couldn't achieve. The student goes through the research again to correct his "mistakes" and re-submit his work for assessing; based on the same strict measures and procedures.
Accurate assessment for high quality
Asserting on the importance of quality, CSL chooses randomly a 20% of researches that passed the first assessment to be submitted to an internal verifier who checks the researches and assessment forms related. The IV fills in a report to be sent to the program director and the trainer who revise his own assessment according to the notes of the senior expert. The final assessment will be sent to the vocational establishment that grants the qualification to the student, which, in turn, assigns an expert who reviews some random samples to make sure that the first and second assessments were done properly.
International certificate
When the student research passes all assessment processes, the student obtains his certificate by an international vocational entity. For example, the first diploma offered by CSL in leadership and management is approved by the OFQUAl and is granted by the global vocational training establishment ILM, which is biggest body, specialized in vocational and professional training in Europe, with more than one million graduates all over the world.
Encouraging innovative youth
CSL opens the window for the Omani innovative youth to change the abstract courses into interactive e-content. The courses that have been changed into e-content, up to now were all done by Omani youth who graduated from the Faculty of Commerce at the Sultan Qaboos University, in Jan 2016. Those youth have been recruited at CSL where they received the suitable training and have been given the freedom to work with us from anywhere via the internet through very flexible work-hour system, al Lawati explained.
New opportunity for marketing
"one of the many creative ideas we built at the company is wide-spreading the culture of vocational training, knowledge and development. We give the chance to whomever to have a hand in promoting our training courses and diplomas via the web and through the social media platforms in particular. CSL makes available whatever marketing material and tools to any anyone who wants to make profits through marketing and promotion against 10% of registration fees paid by the trainee he attracted. This amount of money is deducted directly from the source to be deposited into the bank account of the one who worked for us a freelance marketing executive. Moreover, we offer a 20% off to the establishments and companies registered with CSL when they apply for their employees to join any of our training courses. This reduction is valid also to the employees when they apply by themselves as individuals, as long as they are at the payroll of these companies and establishments, said al Lawati.
Future attitudes
CSL founder said that the establishment was inaugurated with the third level diploma program- leadership and management, which is granted by the British LIM. According to al Lawati, it is the most needed training course in Oman and the Arab world, because it is designed to fit with first line managers, heads of sections and division and supervisors; so it enhances the chances of the job seekers and young entrepreneurs. "In the next few months, we will offer many training diplomas, programs and courses which are internationally approved and equal to the bachelor and master degrees according to the British education system. In the next years, we will offer a number of academic programs through the most renewed universities and colleges in the world. We focus, currently, on the vocational training courses because of the increasing demand from the labor market", al Lawati, further, added.
Giving a hand in developing educational programs
"We are very keen to share our success with all concerned bodies and entities through offering high-end programs. We give a hand by helping these entities develop their training and educational courses and programs; by changing the courses into e-content to be interactive and attractive at the same time, We can assist them in the development of their own LMS ", al Lawati asserted.
The true meaning of giving
CSL founder concluded saying "inaugurating this establishment came after long and deep survey and inspection for the local market which confirmed one fact; that there is a bad need for the job seekers and the employees to have some sort of vocational training that suits with their own financial, social and work reality. This took long years because I had a true desire to give the people a real help to have work-life balance and promising future.
"I wanted to make it very clear that everyone, regardless to his humble financial resources and abilities, can change his own life and his community to the better and contribute to a better life for the humanity. I would like to take the opportunity and call everyone to read my last book, entitled 'Your Vocational Path: an Approach to develop your Business Portfolio', which was approved by the British Society for Legal Management as one of the authentic sources for the vocational planning fifth level student. I would like, also, to call people to read my novel 'A Struggler Journey', which is about a poor and orphaned young man who could change his life by optimizing the simple means and ends available to anyone. The two books are available, free, on my Facebook account. I'm very sure that CSL brand name will has its deserved place, along with the biggest establishments all over the world, as an idea that contributed to the progress of humanity and flag shipped the name of the Sultanate as the home of an unprecedented educational model."
Usman Siddiq GSM : +968 98416505 choice.ap@gmail.com
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