1,00,000 Youth Skilled Across 10 States by Ambuja Foundation’s SEDI Initiative

Supporting the Skill India directive, Ambuja Foundation’s SEDI program (Skill & Entrepreneurship Development Institute) has now trained over 1,00,000 rural youth till date, creating a skilled workforce for various industries and helping tackle rural unemployment.

Ambuja Foundation runs occupational skill training programs for youth of rural and semi urban areas through its SEDI initiative to support the youth to secure jobs or start their own businesses. There are 35 SEDI centres across 10 states with a trainee placement rate of 75%. These centres impart skills among young boys and girls with courses in various sectors of health, electronics, telecom, hospitality, industrial, retail, security, automobile, IT, ITes, construction, logistics and beauty.

Speaking about this achievement, Pearl Tiwari, Director & CEO, Ambuja Foundation said, “Strengthening 1,00,000 youth to become employable is a proud milestone, as equipping youth with skills for employment is the need of the hour to combat widespread unemployment on one hand & to address the industry skill gap on the other. As per the Global Skills Gap Report, the Indian workforce reported the highest skills gap after Brazil.”

“As India has one of the largest workforces in the world, it is important for Ambuja Foundation, being a social development organization, to support Government efforts to bridge the skill gap in the country. Skill training is an important part of Ambuja Foundation’s overall social development program and we will continue supporting underprivileged youth in both rural and semi urban areas, to acquire the required skills to grasp viable employment opportunities,” she added.

Along with regular training, courses, SEDI also entail soft skills training, on the job training, industrial exposure visits, guest lectures, provision of financial support for entrepreneurs and placement support. SEDI has also recently introduced a special Alumni Chapter to support SEDI students –well after placement.

This initiative was conceptualized to provide additional support to SEDI alumni who are placed outside their own geographies, by creating a community of alumni in the area and also helps to improve job retention rates. This group of students become a force to feel included, create a bond, and also seek future career opportunities. There are about 14 active chapter across major cities providing support to alumni.

SEDI’s Entrepreneurship Development Programme also encourages rural youth to start their own businesses on completion of their course, providing them with support in the registration of their business and securing start up finance. The programme provides them with a mentor to build their business plan and also provides them with support until they are comfortable with their business. Till date, over 25,000 rural trainees have become entrepreneurs, creating access to several services in hinterlands which were earlier absent.

SEDI also focuses on encouraging male and female youth to join courses that break gender stereotypes. Girls are encouraged to join courses in machine operator, welding and electrical, whereas male candidates are encouraged to join courses in Nursing and Beautician. This has helped in contributing more human resources to high demand industries which require skills. Till date 1610 girls and 1840 boys have broken gender stereotypes and enrolled in such courses.

ACF acts as an implementation partner for many other organizations in conducting their CSR – replicating the SEDI model in their geographies in collaboration. This has enabled us to reach more youth, with courses and operations tailored to the needs of each region. With over 21 partners onboard, providing financial, technical and placement support, ACF hopes to expand its partnerships with CSR support from other corporates, to collaboratively reach many more rural youth by setting up skilling centres in more geographies.