The programme will be formally launched at an event in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu

Omega CSR, in collaboration with UNNATI and the HOPE Foundation, has designed an industry-focused flagship skilling programme with the aim of reaching 10,000 beneficiaries in Tiruchirappalli. The programme will be inaugurated by various key stakeholders at a launch event in Red Fox Hotel Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu on 14th July from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Through this programme, the team will create sustainable income enhancement opportunities for 10,000+ first-generation earners in the focus geography of Tiruchirappalli, employing skill training in industry-led domains. The programme assures placement of at least 75% of candidates post-training.

Omega CSR has adopted a research-driven approach for holistic community transformation by gathering insights on the geography and skilling landscape, identifying potential partners and delivery models, collating data & insights to validate primary research insights, and defining the target geography, beneficiaries & program outcomes, etc. The skilling programme has been developed based on industry requirements in the region and therefore empowers underprivileged youth while bridging the skill gaps in key sectors.

“Today, there is a dire need for concerted long-term efforts towards strengthening skilling in India. Our research has revealed that only 2% of the workforce in India has formal vocational training, with 1 in 5 graduates being unemployed. While there is a need for formal employment, there is also an industry-wide shortage of skilled workers. By 2025, Tamil Nadu expects a 48% shortage with 38 lakh skilled workers needed across Education, IT/ITeS, Healthcare, Manufacturing & Construction sectors. Through our flagship programme- Project 10k, we aim to solve both these challenges by providing industry-relevant technical skills with a special focus on employability skills to first-generation earners” says Ms. Sunanda Rangarajan, Head – CSR, Omega Healthcare.

“We are looking to invest approximately Rs. 5 crores in Project 10K in the next five years, and expect to reach 10,000 beneficiaries”, she adds.

As one of the most industrialized districts in Tamil Nadu, the team chose Tiruchirappalli as the central point for the intervention and identified a potential need for skill training in the district’s services industry. While the Service industry contributes to 60% of the district’s Gross Value Add (GVA), only 2.4% have undergone vocational training (lower than the national average of 3%). The programme will promote opportunities in service sectors such as upcoming retail, hospitality and IT/IteS for marginalized beneficiaries, hereby bridging the demand and supply gaps.

“Such a programme can potentially target 10,000 first-generation earners in Tiruchirappalli, coming from underserved sections of the society.” Says- Mr. Kannan Sugantharaman, Chief Financial Officer, Omega Healthcare. We are adopting a youth-centric and inclusive approach with a mandatory women representation of up to 30-40%. Our youth aspiration study revealed an aversion for blue-collar jobs and a strong preference for white-collar jobs, and our programme thus aims to provide opportunities for the same.”, he adds.

The launch event will feature various stakeholders of the Tiruchirappalli ecosystem with dignitaries from Omega and their implementation partners in attendance. It will offer insights into the programmer’s implementation pipeline, expected outcomes and beneficiary success stories. The event will also feature a panel discussion on the skilling ecosystem with various key stakeholders from Omega, consulting partners and implementation partners. Sunanda Rangarajan, Head – CSR at Omega, Ian Correa, CEO of HOPE Foundation, Ramesh, CEO of Unnati and Santosh Abraham, Associate Principal of Sattva as panellists.