Helping Youth Build Back Better with Vocational Skills

Many youth in India are struggling today to find jobs.

In India, a substantial number of young individuals are currently grappling with the challenges of unemployment. Despite boasting the world's largest and youngest workforce, with an estimated influx of 250 million young people into the labour market over the next decade, the country faces a critical issue. Alarmingly, less than 5% of the Indian population possesses formal skills, and a staggering 81% of the workforce operates in the informal sector. This disheartening scenario paints a grim picture: industries are struggling to locate adequately skilled workers, while countless Indian youths are locked in a relentless quest for employment opportunities.

The stark disparity between the aspirations and capabilities of these young individuals is evident. Bridging this chasm is imperative.

Pratham reaches out to students who were forced to drop out of school due to various reasons such as financial barriers or family circumstances. Those who have completed their formal education up to grade 8 or 10 are the target group. Our objective is to facilitate quality and holistic education by spreading awareness, building self confidence and empowering youth with hands-on skills to enable attainment of livelihoods and a way out of poverty.

Every year 30,000 students pursue training at one of our 140+ centres in one of the following trades: 

●     Care Economy: Beauty, Apparel and Healthcare

●     STEM Aligned: Electrical, Automotive, Welding and Construction

●     Green Skills: Solar Panel Repair, Plumbing, Drywall and False Ceiling Repair

●     ITeS: Multi-functional Office Assistant, Graphic Design, Automotive Showroom Host

We continue to support students, even after course completion, by ensuring they get job interviews. Around 85% of our students get job placement and their typical earnings is Rs. 9000 monthly. Since 2015, over 100,000 youth have been given access to jobs, another 3500 entrepreneurs have been mentored, and over 5000 workers have been upskilled. 

We realise that acquiring a job is only half the battle won. Therefore, post-placement tracking helps us ensure that students feel comfortable in their new positions. We provide migration support to relocated students and regularly check-in with all of our students via both follow-up calls and in-person visits. 

Apart from training for freshers, we also offer upskilling options for informal workers who are looking for formal certification, and mentorship support for entrepreneurs who are running micro-enterprises. 

Our various vocational training programmes reach out to more than 150,000 youth annually across 20,000 villages and 16 states in India.