Intellipaat focuses on innovation, quality, a learner-first approach

Democratization of the education sector is closely related to four important pillars. These  are: high-quality content, training pedagogy, 24/7 support, and job assistance. Intellipaat combines a unique approach to the ideation and creation of the course content. It then collaborates with SMEs for training. Further, it offers its learners lifelong support and lifetime access to the course materials.

Diwakar Chittora, CEO and Founder, Intellipaat, tells us more. Excerpts from an interview: 

DQ: Your journey from an athlete to the CEO of Intellipaat showcases a diverse range of experiences. How do you believe your background in athletics has influenced your leadership style and approach to business?

Diwakar Chittora: Well, my journey has been a rollercoaster ride! Starting as an athlete, I learned some valuable lessons about discipline, teamwork, and resilience. These traits have shaped my leadership style as the CEO of Intellipaat. You see, in sports, you are constantly pushing yourself to do better and to excel, and that drive doesn't just disappear when you step off the field. It is transposed into business.

So yeah, my athletic background has left its mark on how I lead and approach business. It's all about pushing boundaries, teamwork, and never giving up attitude, no matter what hurdles come your way.

DQ: Given your extensive professional experience in organizations like American Express and Mercedes-Benz, how do you leverage that knowledge to steer Intellipaat towards its goals in the technology training industry?

Diwakar Chittora: My experiences at American Express and Mercedes-Benz instilled a deep understanding of the importance of staying ahead of the curve in a dynamic industry. At American Express, I witnessed firsthand the power of innovation in financial services and also the need to create trust in consumer business. At Mercedes-Benz, I learned the value of precision engineering and a constant drive for excellence. 

At Intellipaat, we focus on innovation, quality, a learner-first approach in everything we do, and adaptability that propels Intellipaat towards its goal of becoming a leader in the professional education industry.

DQ: Intellipaat has emerged as a pioneer in the e-learning landscape under your leadership. Can you share some key strategies or decisions that have contributed to the company's rapid growth and success?

Diwakar Chittora: At Intellipaat, we have prioritized a few key strategies that have fueled our growth in the e-learning landscape. Firstly, we focus on identifying in-demand tech skills and ensuring our curriculum stays relevant to industry needs. 

Secondly, we have embraced accessibility and affordability. We offer a diverse range of courses at competitive prices, making high-quality education reachable to a wider audience with 24/7 support.

Thirdly, we have cultivated a strong emphasis on interactive learning. Our instructors are experienced professionals who create engaging learning experiences through projects, simulations, and practical exercises. This approach ensures our students gain not just theoretical knowledge but also practical skills which they can apply immediately.

Lastly, strategic partnerships and collaborations have been crucial. By aligning with leading tech companies and academic institutions, we’ve expanded our course offerings and provided best of both worlds -- industry exposure and an academic research approach. These combined efforts have positioned Intellipaat as a trusted global leader in the e-learning space .

DQ: Your vision for Intellipaat includes providing high-quality training in a short time frame and transcending geographical boundaries and economic constraints. How do you ensure the delivery of such training while maintaining standards and accessibility?

Diwakar Chittora: Ensuring high-quality training within a short time frame involves a multi-faceted approach. First, we collaborate with industry experts and top-tier institutions to develop comprehensive, up-to-date curricula that meet global standards. Then, the sessions are conducted by top 1% industry experts from leading MNCs like Google, Meta, Amazon, Apple, etc with over a decade of specialized domain-level experience, alongside IIT faculty members who bring vast experience in teaching and research to the table. This ensures our content and delivery are relevant and cutting-edge.

To ensure accessibility, live instructor-led sessions are scheduled on both weekdays and weekends, catering to the diverse schedules of our prospective learners. Learners also benefit from lifetime access to the LMS, where they can access course materials like videos, PDFs, etc. Next, we continually update our course materials to catch up with the latest tools and technology advancements.

Our 24/7 learner doubt clearance system and active learner community further ensure that learners receive continuous guidance and assistance, maintaining high standards of education and support throughout their learning journey.

Additionally, we provide affordable pricing models and financial aid options to ensure that economic constraints do not hinder access to quality education.

In a nutshell, a strong reporting system, multiple QA checkpoints on the training delivery process, course material standardization,, learner feedback, and financial assistance are the key points in maintaining high-quality standards and accessibility while delivering training at scale.

DQ: Intellipaat is committed to democratizing education and empowering learners worldwide. Could you elaborate on some initiatives or programs that reflect this commitment, especially in terms of inclusivity and accessibility?

Diwakar Chittora: At Intellipaat, we are passionate about making quality education accessible to everyone, no matter where they are or what their background is. One of the key things we have done is to offer a wide range of free courses and resources available on our Academy platform.

Intellipaat’s YouTube channel, which is the largest edtech channel, also exemplifies our commitment to making quality learning accessible to every person in the world. We have more than 1 crore subscribers across 180 countries, our learners consume 28,000 hours of content daily. Thousands have successfully navigated interviews and resolved queries by engaging with our free content on YouTube. 

Also, since the very beginning, we have been a pure-play online learning platform, ensuring that high-quality content from top industry experts & academic faculty reaches tier 2 / 3 towns in India. We have witnessed 1000s of learners from these towns/cities securing jobs upto 30 LPA as freshers, and also successfully making career transitions and advancements.

We also focus on creating content in multiple languages to reach a broader audience. Education shouldn't be limited by language, so we're working hard to break down those barriers. 

Overall, our goal is to ensure that anyone who has a zeal to learn, irrespective of which financial background/place they come from, gets the right opportunities and guidance for reaching their goals. 

DQ: As CEO of Intellipaat, what role do you see technology playing in shaping the future of education and training? How does Intellipaat stay ahead of technological advancements to meet the evolving needs of learners?

Diwakar Chittora: Technology is really transforming education and training in some pretty exciting ways. It's making learning more accessible, personalized, and engaging for people all over the world. At Intellipaat, we see technology as a huge enabler. With things like Generative AI, machine learning, and virtual classrooms, we're able to offer an extremely interactive and flexible learning experience. 

We stay ahead of the curve by constantly keeping an eye on the latest tech trends and incorporating them into our courses. For example, we use AI to provide personalized learning paths so our students can focus on areas they need to improve. We also have a team that's always experimenting with new tools and platforms to make our training more effective and fun. 

DQ: Intellipaat derives a significant portion of its revenue from India, while maintaining profitability. How do you plan to further expand Intellipaat's global reach and market penetration, especially in overseas markets?

Diwakar Chittora: We have a robust presence not just in Indian markets, but also internationally, right from our inception. Approximately 30% of our revenues come from international markets even today. Since our roots are firmly in India, with new programs and strategic collaborations with top universities and MNCs, we are expanding our reach in the overseas market.

DQ: What sets Intellipaat apart from other e-learning platforms, and how do you ensure continued innovation and relevance of your training programs in a competitive landscape?

Diwakar Chittora: I'd say it's our commitment to create a curriculum in consultation with multiple industry hiring managers and experts. We identify the in demand skills and tools a person should have even 3-5 years from now to stay relevant in the industry. Also, we understand the skill gaps faced by MNCs when they onboard new hires. We eventually frame our learning pedagogy and curriculum meeting the industry requirements.

Moreover, our approach always goes by imparting practical and job-ready skills with real world projects and assignments. And, not just theoretical knowledge.

This unique combination sets us apart from other edtech platforms, reflected in our impressive completion rate: 85% of learners successfully meet their learning objectives upon course completion.

To keep innovating and staying relevant, we continuously update our courses based on industry demands. We also partner with top companies to understand what skills are in demand and incorporate those into our training programs. 

In this competitive world, it's all about staying ahead of the curve and listening to what our learners and the market need. 

DQ: Can you share a recent achievement or milestone of Intellipaat that you are particularly proud of, and how it reflects the company's values and vision under your leadership?

Diwakar Chittora: Recently, one of the achievements that I’m particularly proud of at Intellipaat is hitting 1 crore subscribers on our YouTube channel worldwide. It's a big deal for us.

This milestone isn't just about the numbers, though. It shows how we're committed to making high-quality education accessible to everyone, no matter where learners are. Our mission has always been to empower people with the skills they need to succeed in their careers, and hitting this milestone is a sign that we're on the right track.

Additionally, 85% of our learners successfully achieve their learning objectives upon completing our courses, with nearly 95% expressing satisfaction with the program, as validated by EY who are our process advisors. Our impact extends to over 200,000 paid learners, shaping their career trajectories and seeing positive career growth..

These milestones underscore our commitment to excellence and continue breaking new ground in empowering individuals to reach their career aspirations through education.