Intake Assistant working for Vocational Rehabilitation Centre for Handicapped, Government of India

Dr. Kannekanti Parameshwar

1) Introduction about your job / career, define your career?
I am an Intake Assistant working for Vocational Rehabilitation Centre for Handicapped, Government of India, Ministry of Labour & Employment, # C-432, 1st B Main, 1st Cross, Behind Peenya police station, peenya 1st stage, Bangalore-58.

I have been working for this department for the past twelve years. 

My career stated as an Intake Assistant some times they also call social worker.

As an Intake Assistant I do Registration of PWDs, file management, assisting other officials, coordination with administration and colleagues.

As a social worker, I do referral services like, vocational counseling, Vocational Rehabilitation, Economic Rehabilitation, Physical Restoration, Social Rehabilitation, placement contacts, rapport with clients, rehabilitation assistance, attending rehabilitation camps, etc.

2) Qualification required for this job?
Essential Qualifications:  Degree of a recognized University or its equivalent with Diploma in Social Work or Guidance or Post Graduate Degree or its equivalent in Social Work or Sociology. 

Experience Required: 3 years post qualification experience in Social Work or Vocational Guidance or Employment Services.

Pay scale: Pre-revised:4500-7000.  Revised to Pay Band: 5200-20200, Grade Pay fixed: Rs.2800. Group-C, Non-Gazetted, Non-ministerial.

Age: 30years. Reservations applicable.

Recruited by:  It is a direct recruitment post.  Indent sent to Central Employment Exchange by the recruiting centre seeking applications via Advertisement in Employment News by Government of India, Directorate General of Employment & Training, Ministry of Labor and Employment, 14/11, Jamnagar House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi-110011.

The post is having All India Service Liability. The First appointment is done in the centre recruited. Later on one can seek transfer to any centre out of 20 existed centres in the same designation and capacity as and when vacancy arises.

3) Personal qualities / skills required for this job?

• Committed mind to serve the disabled persons.
• Social Work bent of mind.
• Idea about Disability Rehabilitation.
• Reading, writing and spoken ability in English, Hindi and local language. 
• Interview skill is required.
• Basic Computer knowledge required.

4) Best aspects of this job?

• Best chance to serve the Persons with Disabilities.
• Permanent Central Government Job.
• Chance to learn other languages.
• Due to feeder cadre, there is a chance (rarely) to become Rehabilitation Officer, Group-B Gazetted officer in the department.
• Good Interaction and rapport will establish with Persons with Disability.

5) Challenging aspects of this job?

• Rehabilitating the persons with disabilities is a challenging aspect of this job.
• Convincing the Higher Officers is a challenging one.
• Learning the local language is a challenging aspect.
• Sensitizing the employers is a challenging.
• Applying social work methodology is also a challenging one.
• All India transferable liability is also a challenging one.
• Some times it is a laborious job.
• Finding job satisfaction is also a big challenge.

6) Your achievements?

• I learnt Oriya language.
• I learnt Kannada Language.
• I registered around 10000 PWD in my period for various services in centre.
• I counseled the PWDs in their best vocational rehabilitation plan.
• I understood the condition, status and problems of persons with disabilities around India.
• I understood the rehabilitation services rendered by other institutions in India.
• I used to advocate the problems of the clients with the appropriate authority.

7) Your secret of success in your career?
Committed to my interest.
Following the higher officials and colleagues, some times Yes Bossism.
Best counseling skills.
Applying Social Work Methodology in service.
Studying the books, literature, articles and news papers about the social problems of people.

8) Give us some interesting accounts of your academic /education days?
Interesting account of my education is hap hazardous plan in my academic career. My environment driven me towards (immediate job) government job without any plan.
Without any destination I pursued some Degrees.

9) How did you plan your career?
I could not plan my career perfectly. I followed blind approach because the ultimate goal was government job.

10) Describe your experience of your first day at work in your first job?

• My first appointment was in Bhubaneswar, VRC.  Lack of knowledge of local language (Oriya) I could not converse with any person with disability. I used to observe the procedure what my colleague was doing. They wanted to see my mettle.  Higher official given me, dictation and asked me to get it done type, to see my English language proficiency. They have introduced me to all the staff.  Due to non-gazetted officer post they have not shown me my table, chair, place of work and nature of duties. Later on they said that one week time will be given to assign the work and in the mean while you observe and learn the work. I used to follow the colleague to learn the work while on work.

11) Your major achievements have been in ……………. which opportunities steered you on that path?

• Due to my first appointment in Orissa, I needed to learn Oriya language.  I have purchased a book entitled “Oriya in small bites” written by a foreign visitor in Bhubaneswar.  Everyday in the evening hours I used to read, write and try to murmur the language my self with the help of the book. I used try to observe and speak with my colleagues while they speak.  Similarly I planed to learn Kannada language also. This achievement made me to speak to persons with disabilities and colleagues freely to deliver my services without any hesitation.

Establishing good rapport with persons with disabilities I achieved nearness with them.

Due to review of related literature I could have been counseled them very easily.

My sincerity, obedience and submissiveness I had overcome some hurdles.

My computer knowledge given me some more impetus to my job.

12) Being a leader / social worker yourself what do you think you possess as a leader/social worker that sets you apart from other leaders?
I think I possess academic and professional knowledge in Law, sociology, social work, English, computer, administration I became a good rehabilitation social worker in my department. 

13) How as a leader / social worker, do you go about developing yourself today?
As a social worker I would like to develop my self to become very near to the people.

• I would like to acquire the some more professional knowledge.
• I would like to try some more to achieve job satisfaction.
• I would like to change my self first rather than changing society.

14) What keeps you so passionate about working in social work?

• My sensitivity to social problems.
• Easy accessibility with social work.
• Grip on social work process.
• Job Satisfaction in social work.
• Easy accessibility with administration, politics, academics, public contacts, etc.

15)  What are your current ambitions for the next phase in your life /career?
I would like to become Academician, social work thinker, good author, good friend.

16) Your reading. How this does helps you in your personal and professional life?

•  Reading is the secret of my success.
• Reading gives comprehensive knowledge about the concepts of social problems, profession and life.
• Reading became my Master, Guide and Supervisor.
• Reading is my innate drive
• Reading makes me to forget the environment some time.

17)  What are your interest / hobbies?

• I am very much interesting in observing current social affairs.
• I am interesting in social contacts, establishing rapport with the people.
• My hobbies are Reading news papers, periodicals, books, magazines,
• Writing articles, books on current trends of people.
• Learning other languages.
• Browsing internet
• Friendship via mass media, internet, etc.
• Watching movies, documentaries, TV programs, listening to News and spotlight programs

18)  A family bonding experience ……………….?

• Many times I felt that I could not make justification to my family members.  Much time I spent in meetings, camps being away from my family. I used to become tiresome and sick after coming from camps.    Being limited income and small post I could not meet many things of my family requirements.  My lifestyle like, eating habits changed.  In all these situations my family people supported me. My family members understood my interests, economic capacity and adjusted with me.

19)  Tips for aspiring professional social workers?

• Maintain good health
• Commitment is compulsory
• Grip on Subject is compulsory
• Social involvement and networking is compulsory
• Convincing and obtaining own family members support
• Limited political involvement
• Follow the code of professional ethics
• Positive thinking
• Stay away from fanatics, superstitions, etc.

20)  Bitter experience in your career?
When I was working for an NGO in AP, I faced tuff time to enter into a village to implement Health Awareness Program. They have not allowed me to conduct such programs. Ultimately, with some counseling and with help of community development process technique they understood and allowed me to do the social work program in such village.

When I was working with Bhubaneswar VRC, I had been to an Industry on placement contact.  The Employer said “ I don’t believe all these rehabilitations and handicapped people, who permitted you inside? Go away and Don’t come again” indirectly he said ‘get out’.  At this time I filled with confidence in me and contacted another industry.

• In Bangalore VRC, My colleague and counterpart leveled mobile theft against me and hided the important file due to professional jealousy and created panic purposefully in my career.