WLC College India

WLCI College India
Address
160 B, Lane W1, Block E, Western Avenue, Sainik Farms Khanpur, New Delhi, 110062 India
Information
Established	1996
Founder	Mr. Vinay Pasricha
Website	http://www.wlci.in

WLC College India (WLCI) is a professional education institution based in India. The college was established in 1996 by Mr. Vinay Pasricha ^[1] in collaboration with Wigan & Leigh College UK. The College has campuses in eight major cities in India and one in Nepal and is better known for its Fashion & Design Programs. In 2006 it was named amongst the top three fashion schools by the Hindustan Times, in 2007 was named as one of the top fashion schools by the Times of India and in 2012 it was ranked second amongst the emerging business schools by Business Today.^[2]

The college has an Employer’s Council consisting of 356 senior managers from the industry,^[3] this council ensures that the programs of the college are in line with the requirements of the industry. WLCI was formerly known as Wigan & Leigh College India. It follows a globally accepted quality education system to benchmark its courses and processes.^[4] Its Creative School established collaborative programs with several international universities and awarding bodies in the year 1997.

Since its inception, WLCI has worked with the industry to make its courses relevant to the needs of employers. Faculty & Trainers are recruited based on their experience & professional track record in the industry. WLCI received PE funding in the year 2007 from Zephyr Management for development of content & processes.^[5]

History

1990 – 1995 - Before the college was formally incorporated in 1996 it was a Business Process Reengineering organisation involved in developing software, processes & training for BPR. During this time they were involved in large scale training and reskilling programs with several industrial groups. It was in these years that the organisation developed an insight into business processes and competencies required to execute these processes. ^[6]

One of the programs that was run by them was the Management Trainee program which was a one-year induction for fresh Management Graduates into various corporations. It was the insights gained about the shortcomings of the education system during this program that lead to the establishment of the college in 1996.^[6]

1996 – 2000 –In the year 1996 the college was launched in collaboration with Wigan & Leigh College, UK. It was the first British institution to launch its courses in India.^[4] The college offered courses from other UK institutions and awarding bodies like BTEC, Charted Institute of Marketing, Charted Institute of Management Accountants. ^[6] There was an exponential growth in terms of numbers of students and campuses in the first five years of operations as the college established a Pan India presence.

2000 – 2005 - The Employers’ Council was set up to bring the curriculum in tune with the requirements of employers. 300 companies and 356 senior managers participated in the curriculum and process review which lasted five years and consumed 150 man years of effort.^[6] This massive exercise in curriculum development leads to the creation of the WLCI Professional Curriculum which was focused on skills development.

2005 – 2010 - 2005 onward, the focus was Industry Integration. The Employers’ Council that was set up helped in developing the course curriculum and the content. This made the Business course industry relevant and helped in developing skills necessary at the workplace.The Traineeship program was launched in partnership with over 200 companies to provide on the job training and work experience to students. The students got the opportunity to work while studying and enhance their employability.^[4]

2010 – Present - Since 2010 the focus has been the three Creative Schools of Fashion.,^[7] Design and Media. Industry interaction enabled traineeship for the creative students even at the undergraduate level. Course curriculum gets updated as per the requirements of the industry and is supported by the senior professionals in the process.^[7]

Organisation

1) Board of Directors – The Board of Directors comprises 13 members of the management team. The founders of the institute are Vinay Pasricha,^[1] Chairman, and Malobika Sengupta.,^[8] CEO. Lt. General Krishna Mohan Seth^[9] and Raju Vir are the Senior Consultants ^[10] at the institute.

2) Employers’ Council – The Employers’ Council has over 350 memebrs from the industry. They periodically review and fine tune the course structure and content to ensure that students develop skills required at the workplace. They are responsible for defining the outcomes of each process and linking these outcomes to the skills that are required to be executed.^[6]

3) Program Managers – All Program managers are highly qualified and have industry experience. They guide the students on a day-to-day basis and hold mentoring sessions to monitor their progress. They are close to the industry.^[8] which helps in the employment of the students.

4) Mentors – They are senior professionals from the industry ^[8] and assists students to remain on track and provide overall support.

5) Trainers – They are there to enhance the student’s Industry preparedness and polish their specific skills. They also focus on developing professional competencies of young learners through activity based workshops.^[4]

Campuses

WLCI has centrally located and easily accessible campuses in New Delhi, Mumbai,^[11] Bangalore, Chennai,^[12] Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune and Surat as well as in Kathmandu, Nepal. Each campus is equipped to facilitate the learning process.

Global Connect

WLCI has associations with several international Fashion, Design and Media institutions. All the programmes have been structured to match the course content taught in colleges and universities abroad. The students therefore have the advnatage of transferring credits to pursue further studies across the world. WLCI students have gained seamless entry into university programmes after completion of the course in India and have studied in prestigious universities like Boston School of Art and Design, London College of fashion, Coventry University and University of Northumbria.^[13][14]

Traineeship Program

WLC started the Traineeship Program in 2000 which offers the students opportunity to work with reputed organisations alongside their training.^[8] This enables the students to gain work experience during their course . More than 500 companies have partnered with the college where students can work part-time in the area of their specialisation. This also helps the students to obtain job placements at the end of the programme.

Employers Council

The WLCI Employers Council has over 350 members who work with some of the best employers in the industry. The Council has helped in strcuturing the course that is relevant to the employers and to the learners. The Council comprises senior professionals who have structured the course and also periodically review and update its structure and the content.^[6]

Skill Development System

WLCI Skill Development System has been designed to ensure that every individual produces good results and creates value for their organisation. The focus is on developing job specific skills to enhance their performance ^[8] and also improve their life and core skills for a holistice development. The process aims at producing compenent, energetic and focussed professionals.

Academic Process

Selection – WLCI organises an All India Combined Entrance Test^[15][16] for admission into post Graduate and under graduate programmes of Advertising & Graphic Design, Fashion Technology, Business Management and Media & Mass Communication. The selection process at WLCI has been designed to assess candidate's personality, abilities, analytical skills and creative aptitude. WLCI also offers more than 100 scholarships to Indian students ^[12] to help them pursue under-graduate and post-graduate courses.,^[17] through a scholarship test.

• All India Combined Entrance Test ^[18]

All India Combined Entrance Test, also known as AICET, is a common entrance test that has been specially designed for students from any stream.^[18] Whether a student is applying for Creative Courses or Business Programs, AICET is the first step in the selection process. This test is divided into two parts:

• General Ability Test (GAT)^[18]

General Ability Test measures general intelligence of the candidates. The test aims at evaluating the candidate through quantitative, analytical and logical ability. It assesses the general knowledge and communication skills of the candidate. It also focuses on testing the students’ capacity for learning in general, regardless of any specific skill in a certain subject or topic.

• Creative Ability Test (CAT)^[18]

The CAT is designed to assess the Drawing skills, Observation & Visualization ability of the candidate. It judges the intuitive ability as well as creative and innovative use of colour and illustration skills. For students applying for Media & Mass communication, it assesses their verbal communication ability and creative writing skills.

For Business students there is a Personality Assessment Test that identifies the personality traits and interest areas of the applicant and helps determine the profession best suited for the candidate and where he/ she is most likely to succeed in the professional career. Communication Ability Test that evaluates the proficiency in English communication skills - reading, writing and speaking. The communication skill is important to determine the employability in the industry.

• Personal Interview ^[18]

The tests are followed by a personal Interview wherein candidates are evaluated for their skills and abilities required in their chosen field. They are also judged in communication and interpersonal skills as well as creative and lateral thinking.

Division^[13]

WLCI School of Fashion

The School was established in 1997 and is today one of the premium fashion colleges in the country. The programmes offered by WLCI School of Fashion, develop a fine eye for design detail, an appreciation for contemporary fashion and thorough understanding of the pre-production and post-production cycle ^[19] .^[20] The courses offer a strong foundation in fashion design, production and garment manufacturing process.^[7] These are structured to prepare the students for the job - opportunities across various apparel units, buying agencies, design studios, export houses, retail outlets, manufacturing units, online fashion business and launching their own brands ^[8][12][21] WLCI School of Fashion nurtures the students’ individual creativity ^[22] and makes them industry-ready for successful career in the dynamic world of fashion.^[23]

WLCI School of Advertising & Graphic Design

The School started in the year 1998 and has aimed to develop professional expertise and aesthetic aptitude in students to become excellent global designers. The programmes offer a strong foundation in communication design wherein the students are exposed to design cycle and innovation: conceptual thinking, studies-based experimental workshops, and interactive seminars in order to develop their capabilities and professional skills not only as outstanding designers and entrepreneurs, but also as engaged global citizens.^[13] Our alumni artworks have entered and won awards in international competition like Cannes, Archive, New York Festival, Art Directors Annual and Young Guns Awards.

WLC School of Media & Mass Communication^[24]

WLCI Media Programmes entail a comprehensive understanding of the fundamentals of contemporary journalism, Media Production, ON-AIR Promotions, Public Relations, Television Commercials and much more. The learners are exposed to the fast changing industry requirements and are trained on the current communication technology for both audio-visual productions. The students are encouraged to apply the theoretical knowledge in the practical scenario and create their own News Programmes, TV Commercial, Documentaries, photo-journals etc.^[25] The Programmes offer a strong foundation in Audio- Video Communication and encourages innovation and conceptual thinking to prepare students for global opportunities in the Media Industry.

The WLCI School of Business^[2]

WLCI School of Business was established in 1996 and has acquired a reputation for providing quality professionals to the industry. The school has adopted innovative ways to train students and the content, teaching methodology, processes and systems followed have been developed in consultation with the industry. The school pioneered the Traineeship Programme and introduced the concept of “Earn while you Learn” ^[8] in professional education. This ensures that every student gets an opportunity to work with an organisation whilst pursuing the course.Therefore, they get hands on work experience and get a head start in their career and a professional edge over others.^[26]

Partnerships

Wigan & Leigh College – WLCI and Wigan & Leigh College, UK have been partners for over two decades. The WLCI qualifications are recognised by Wigan & Leigh College UK and they award equivalent qualifications to the students.

Tata Motors^[27] – In association with WLCI & its dealership network, Tata Motors offers the graduates an opportunity to be part of the company.

Pearson’s Qualifications^[28]– WLCI is an approved Centre to offer Pearson’s Level 5 Higher National Diploma qualifications (HND)^[29] in the areas of Business, Fashion & Textiles, Graphic Design and Creative Media Production.

Placements & Alumni

WLCI offers the students, the services of the Placement Cell that supports students with placement opportunities that are best suited to their individual skills and career interests. The focus is to help them find a job that they are best suited for. At WLCI, all students start working part-time as trainees in the industry during the course. This work experience, coupled with industry-endorsed curriculum, ensures employability at the end of the program. WLCI has tie-ups with over 500 companies for part-time and full-time placements. Barclays, IBM, ITC, Larsen & Toubro, PEPSI, Standard & Chartered, WIPRO are a few names who have hired the industry-ready students from WLCI.

The WLCI has an extensive alumni network of over 17,000 professionals working with leading organisations across the world. The alumni’s artworks have participated and won awards in international competitions like Cannes, Archive, New York Festival, Art Directors Annual and Young Guns Award. While some have been offered traineeship and jobs by renowned personalities in respected industries,^[26] some of WLCI’s alumni have become successful entrepreneurs.^[30]

Controversies

In 2011, WLCI had accused IIM-Kolkata of intellectual property theft.^[31] WLCI had alleged that IIM-Kolkata copied structure and syllabus of a special course. However, WLCI had not registered a copyright for the educational course. IIM-Kolkata had labelled the allegation as frivolous.^[32]

References

External links

• Official website
• WLCI School of Business
• WLCI School of Fashion
• WLCI School of Advertising & Graphic Design
• WLCI College Google+ Page
• WLC College Kathmandu, Nepal