Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Forty five students from across Goa explored career choices and future aspirations through creative expression at the Art × Evidence initiative organised by the Antarang Foundation in collaboration with the Goa State Council of Educational Research and Training.
The initiative encouraged young participants to reflect on issues such as career decision making, financial pressures and the transition from education to employment. Students expressed their experiences using various artistic mediums including visual art, dance, writing, theatre and textile craft.
The works created by the participants were presented on March 27 at Clube Tennis Gaspar Dias in Panaji. The event drew a curated gathering of educators, institutional leaders and employers who engaged with the students’ creative interpretations of career related challenges and aspirations.
The participating youth are part of career education programmes implemented by the Antarang Foundation in partnership with the Goa State Council of Educational Research and Training. Through this collaboration, students in government and aided schools are provided structured exposure to career pathways and decision making tools. The programme aims to ensure that young people gain awareness of both traditional and emerging opportunities in the evolving job market.
India’s youth population remains among the largest in the world, yet many young people continue to face difficulties in accessing stable employment. While statistics often capture the scale of the challenge, the Art × Evidence initiative sought to highlight the personal and emotional dimensions of these transitions.
Participants shared reflections on how creative expression helped them better understand their aspirations and challenges. The process enabled them to articulate experiences shaped by expectations, uncertainty and personal ambition while also recognising the value of their voices in wider discussions about education and work.
The event attracted 161 attendees, including representatives from education, industry and the creative sector. Among those present was Dr. Gopal Chandra Pradhan, Associate Professor at the Goa State Council of Educational Research and Training, who interacted with the participants and their work.
Insights from the initiative will also contribute to discussions at Samagam Conclave, where research findings from the foundation’s work over the past decade will be shared with stakeholders from policy, education and industry.
