One inspiring story related to the highly sought-after LED Manufacturing course under the Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP) Kerala is that of a brother and a sister who teaches us that age is no barrier to getting upskilled and starting something new.
For most children, the first ones they turned to for help, while exploring new things in their childhood would be their siblings. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have the same companionship for new beginnings even at dotage? Bringing to you the success story of two siblings penned with the flair to get skilled and step into the entrepreneurship world defying age.
Sushama Devi, a 62-year-old retired Postmaster from the Angamaly Post office along with her brother Ajithakumaran Nair, a 59-year-old who is a former naval petty officer decided to join the LED Manufacturing Course in ASAP Kerala’s Perumbavoor Community Skill Park.
The pandemic period made learning new skills all the more accessible and an effective way to utilize spare time at home. That’s when Ajithakumar, who always nurtured a passion to learn new things, came across an advertisement for the LED operator course and decided to pursue it. He called upon his sister, Sushama Devi to join the class along with him.
The siblings had no clue that this small step would usher in a new phase in their life.
As they progressed, their confidence grew, and they began to see the potential for a new career in LED manufacturing and operating. They started networking with other professionals in the field, attending conferences and events and building their own client base. Shortly, the duo found the scope for a business out of the course. Through additional references and market research, they landed on the decision to start an enterprise for the manufacture and supply of LED lights. This was with the help of their relatives. They transformed the idle property they owned at Perumbavoor into their business space. They named their new venture ‘Dayvue’, which was synonymous with the dawn of a new phase in life.
In a short span of time, through rigorous marketing efforts and networking, they successfully established themselves in the market. Apart from the basic lessons obtained through ASAP classes, new variants of LED lights were manufactured by them to meet the demand from the market. They adopted a need-based supply of products thereby eliminating the chance of loss.
Looking back, Sushama Devi recollects the decision to learn a new skill even at her retirement period as a milestone in her life and stands as an inspiration to many of the retired hands.
Thanks to the LED operator manufacturing course offered by ASAP Kerala, these senior citizens who felt they were too young to retire, were able to gain the skills and experience needed to pursue their new-found passion and build a successful entrepreneurial career. They are now living a fulfilling life, doing what they love, and providing for their family as well as the community.