CEO Insights Magazine

In India today, skill-based education is not an option but a requirement. In comparison to competent people, the demand for skilled professionals is extremely strong. Along with academic education, schools must place a greater emphasis on skillbased learning. Skill based learning technology can help students develop professional and personal skills that will aid them in their future endeavors. Important skill development can also help students prepare for their upcoming careers. However, there are only a few platforms in India that provide students with skill based education.

Lokesh Maheshwari, who noticed the gap between skill based training and formal education, sought to address this issue by creating the Skills Rediscovery platform. The company aspires to be India's greatest significant breakthrough in online skills-based education. In an exclusive interaction with CEOInsights, Lokesh speaks about his entrepreneurial journey.

What inspired you to establish Skills Rediscovery and venture into the e-Learning domain?
I saw a significant gap between inborn skills and formal education when working for Amazon in 2011 while also completing my degree and learning a foreign language. After their 12th grade, everyone knows what they want to do: BA, BCom, BTech, or any other degree subject. However, there is no one to advise those students on what they can pursue aside from a formal degree; I feel your passion has a wider scope than conventional education. Most people will suggest to you the subjects to take for your higher education, but no one will underline the idea that if you have a talent for something, you should follow it as your passion.

But I lacked the financial resources to pursue this idea and turn it into a

business. Four years passed, then moved to Wipro Ltd in financial services domain. Wipro helped me to pursue my small dream to do MBA, and throughout my MBA degree, I felt compelled to act on the idea that had been gnawing in my mind for years. Then, in 2018, I began the operations of my firm with the Micro Franchise initiative, while also working full time and participating in various international business projects. And, as a corporate employee, I had to work 9 to 10 hours a day, which made running my business challenging. After juggling with office and business, I was able to quit my corporate job just before lock down happened in India. However, the lockdown was imposed in 2020, which enabled me to focus more on my firm, and after a few months, I met the other Co-Founder Prof. Dr. Rishi Aacharya, resulting in the establishment of Skills Rediscovery.

Can you elaborate on the company’s vision? What advanced technologies are instilled in the company’s services that make it learner’s first preference?
The objective of the company is to impact every person's skill set and interests; and assist them in monetizing their skill set so that they are not entirely reliant on their formal degrees. More than anything, we encourage individuals to focus on their passion and skill set, because knowing what to do allows you to achieve more than you are currently doing.

Furthermore, because we are a young company, we are still working in the advanced technological arena. And, by incorporating more technological features, we aim to establish ourselves as a one stop shop for all skill enhancement ser

vices. Furthermore, following the New Education Policy, we provide our services in the local languages. We also encourage trainers and educators who are not comfortable in English to pass on their knowledge to learners in their native language or any language in which they are fluent or interested.

Did you face any challenges initially while establishing your venture? How did you overcome them to emerge as a successful entrepreneur?
I come from a finance background, and today, everything is tied to technology, and innovation is also the main tool for building a startup. My initial hurdle was to identify a suitable individual in the technical sphere who could assist me with technology related concerns. Secondly, when we launch a new business in our country, we must register the firm under the Start-up India Initiative, which necessitates proper legal advice. And one of the main people who helped us overcome these problems and played a significant role in the establishment of this company was Prof.(Dr.)Dwarika Prasad Uniyal.

Skills Rediscovery was awarded as The Best Ed Tech of The Year by TopRoboLab Private Limited. How did you feel about the award?Tell us about your recognitions.
Throughout my professional journey, I have received numerous accolades and recognitions from companies such as Wipro and IBM for my hard work. And talking about the 'TopRoboLab' Award for Skills Rediscovery in 2021 was significant to us. Although there have been other companies functioning in this field for so many years, we have been acknowledged and rewarded for our distinctive services. We are working to deliver certain value added services to make a change in society, and when it was recognized, we felt wonderful. This honour motivated us to work harder and provide more skill-based services that the market would accept favorably.

Lokesh Maheshwari, Co-Founder, Skills Rediscovery
Lokesh completed his MBA from Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning. Before establishing SkillsRediscovery, Lokesh has been part of prominent organizations like Concentrix, Wipro Digital, Qi Group and IoTech World Avigation.