Starting about 18 years ago in Nepal with Aptech Computer Education (ACE), Aptech Group already has four computer education centres in Kathmandu. It also has Arena Multimedia centre in Kathmandu, which provides education on animation and multimedia. Arena is a division of Aptech. Now the company is preparing its expansion outside Kathmandu through franchisees.   

“Talks are on the progress with investors in different cities and the details are being worked out,” says Aptech Master Franchisee in Nepal Shobha Kunwar. 

Established in India in 1986, Aptech has by now presence in 40 countries across the world including Nepal and has a total of 1,308 training centres. 

The group opened its first ACE in Nepal in 1995 and launched Arena Multimedia in 2001. According to Kunwar, Aptech has already trained over 50,000 people in Nepal and employs 120 people in the country.

Aptech Group in Nepal

• New Baneshwar – ACE
• Kantipath – ACE and ARENA MULTIMEDIA
• Kumaripati – ACE
• Pokhara – ACE

Aptech Group

The official website of Aptech Group claims, it has provided IT training to more than 6.5 million students in over 40 countries. It is also claimed to be the first IT training organisation in Asia to get ISO 9001 certification. The group has Headquarter in Mumbai, India.

Range of products by Aptech Group 

• 1996 -  Arena Multimedia, offers animation and multimedia
• 2006 – Acquired Avalon to gain an entry into the aviation industry
• 2007 – Entered Hardware and networking through N-power now rebranded as Aptech hardware and networking Academy
• 2009 – Started English language training
• 2010 – Acquired MAAC leading to become the leader in the Indian animation and multimedia training

Products 

Courses offered by ACE are related to all areas of software development. Aptech Certified Computer Professional (ACCP) is billed as flagship career program of the company. “It is a comprehensive IT course, which equips the student with advanced programming knowledge to build enterprise solutions with extensive hands on training and project work, giving students real world experience,” explains Kunwar. 

ACCP Features:

• Technology platforms from Sun Java and Microsoft
  
• Emphasis on coding and source code documentation standards
  
• Upgraded Java and .NET technologies
  
• Projects/ e-projects
  
• Improved ‘Blended Learning’ delivery methodology
  
• Intensive practice and Assessment Laboratory workshops
  
• Open source Technology
  

Arena Multimedia, a sister body of Aptech Group offers animation and multimedia course ranging from three months to two years career courses and has presence in 20 countries. It has tie ups with Macromedia and Adobe.

Arena has been shaping the multimedia industry equipping students with the finest skills and state-of-art technologies in multimedia, says Kunwar. According to her, Arena students are making exciting career in the fields of advertising, gaming, entertainment, 2D and 3D animation, print publishing, web designing and development, among others. 

“Aptech’s semester end online examination system is designed to offer comprehensive, secure and consistent online testing,” says Kunwar. “Evaluation happens in real time and answers are automatically encrypted for QA control.” 

According to her, once a student completes a career course with Aptech their credit can be transferred to an international university with which the company has tie up. This transfer is available in Bachelor’s final year. Among such universities are Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, University of Portsmouth, Middlesex University and Mahatma Gandhi University.  

Future Strategy

As the Nepali job market is becoming more and more competitive, the demand for IT education is growing as a result. This provides a good opportunity to the IT education provides to expand their business in Nepal. 

Kunwar says, “Nepal has huge potentiality for IT education and the market has accepted the importance of IT in every field. Hence, we are planning to open education centres in all the major cities of the country with variety of courses.”

According to her, one component of the expansion drive is to launch Cambridge English Language Teaching (ELT) next year in Nepal.  ELT will offer wide range of English Language course including spoken English, accent training, foundation courses, IELTS and TOEFL preparation. 

CSR

As part of Corporate Social Responsibility, Aptech is planning to provide computer education for rural kids. “Besides this, the company has plans for orphanages as well. Under this, Aptech will be donating books, computers and other materials in near future,” said Kunwar. 

SWOT Analysis

Strengths 

• Experienced of nearly three decades
• Link up with world renowned institutions
• Presence in 40 countries

Opportunities

• Growing market
• Rising pool of educated people who are seeking IT education
• Awareness of IT education

Threats

• Political uncertainty
• Power cuts